Violent clashes between youths and riot police in central Athens on Tuesday injured at least eight people as a nationwide strike against new austerity measures shut down the country.

Greek demonstrators protests against austerity measures during rally in Athens, capital of Greece, on June 28, 2011. Labor unions hold a 48-hour nationwide general strike and rallies on June 28 and 29, as the parliament is expected to vote on the new package of measures on Wednesay. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) 
At least four protesters and four police officers were injured in clashes in front of the parliamentary building, where up to 500 people tossed rocks and petrol bombs at security forces and torched dustbins and tents of some sit-in protesters. Riot police responded with tear gas.

The violence marred a string of walk-outs and marches staged in Athens and other cities across Greece against the latest austerity measures, including cutbacks on salaries and wages, tax increases and a 50-billion-euro (71.4-billion-U.S.-dollar) privatization package.

Lawmakers are embarking on their second day of debate on austerity measures that must be passed in votes on Wednesday and Thursday if Greece is to receive another batch of bailout funds to see it beyond the middle of next month.

If the votes don't pass, Greece could become the first eurozone nation to default on its debts, and that could send out huge shock waves through the global economy.

In Athens, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets, holding banners and chanting anti-austerity slogans like "Keep your measures and get out of the country." Police said that about 5,000 policemen were deployed across the city.

Due to the nationwide disturbances, the fourth general strike this year, public administration offices and archaeological sites nationwide remained closed, hospitals ran on skeleton personnel, and transportation services were disrupted.

The Greek parliament is set to put the austerity package on a vote on Wednesday. Prime Minister George Papandreou has urged lawmakers and citizens to fulfill the "patriotic duty" to support the bill, arguing that it is the only life jacket available for the debt-ridden country at the moment against the threat of default.

The ratification of the belt-tightening program is a key demand the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, as Greece's main creditors, have raised to provide more loans.

Even with the new austerity measures and a second bailout, many investors still think Greece is heading for some sort of default because its overall euro340 billion debt burden is too great.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet