The strikes that have been going on for weeks in Greece over government-proposed pension reform are reaching their peak with the nationwide general strike on March 19 2008, Greek daily Kathimerini reported.

Public transportation is almost entirely cut off, flights are canceled, petrol stations have shut down.

Media, electricity production and cleaning services employees are also protesting, sparking power cuts and a refuse crisis, made worse by the information black-out. Banks and schools are closed. Hospitals are working, but with skeleton staff only, Kathimerini daily said.

The authorities in Greece hope that once the reform bill is approved by parliament on March 20, the situation in the country will calm down.

However, a survey by pollster VPRC showed 71 percent of the public was against the pension reform and 69 per cent of it supported the strikes, Kathimerini said.