Austerity

Manuel Valls, who became France's new Prime Minister in April, announced a series of austerity measures to reduce public spending.

He said some EUR 21 B would be saved in 2015 under a plan decreasing pensions, social benefits and healthcare expenditures.

By Renee Maltezou & Deepa Babington

Greek far-right Golden Dawn lawmaker Ilias Kasidiaris strode into a packed hotel room in central Athens last month to the sound of a marching song and supporters' cries of "Here comes the mayor!"

A German liberal MEP declared he would run for a Greek party he founded to protest over austerity policies applied to Athens.

"I've always felt torn between the two... the German side of my heart is so ashamed," Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, who has Greek roots, was quoted as saying by the EUObserver.

Future Prime Minister about economic measures Vucic: One not satisfied with salary in public sector, should start working in private sector

Aleksandar Vucic said to expect resistance in public sector after announcement about cutting of pays by 10 to 15 percent, but he also said that nothing would prevent him from carrying out reforms.

Media employees and port workers will stage a nationwide strike in Greece on Tuesday, a day ahead of a 24-hour general strike against austerity measures.

The media sector demands new collective contracts, as well as an end to mass layoffs and delays of salaries, as the website Dnevnik.bg has reported.

Workers in the state and private sector are to walk off the job on Wednesday, disrupting public services and some modes of transport on the first general strike of the year against austerity.

Thousands of people took the streets of Brussels in a protest against austerity measures, organized by the European Trade Union Confederation, Friday.

The police used water cannon and pepper spray on protesters who had thrown oranges and stones at the officers during the demonstration demanding a better deal for Europe's working men and women.

Police clash with anti-austerity protesters in Brussels

BRUSSELS -- Tens of thousands of people from across Europe gathered in Brussels on Friday to demonstrate against austerity measures.

Several clashes with the police occurred during the day.

Photos posted on Twitter show that the police used water cannons against the protesters.

The Eurozone will assign to Greece EUR 6.3 B that are part of its second bailout package, the Eurogroup's chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem announced Tuesday.

In Athens, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund agreed to unlock one of the last tranches Greece will get to save its debt-ridden economy.

The police has banned public gatherings in central Athens from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the European Union’s finance ministers will be in the Greek capital for an informal Eurogroup and then an ECOFIN meeting.