Self-employed freelancers from a number of professions are taking to the streets on Thursday to express their opposition to the government’s planned social security bill. Lawyers, engineers, doctors, solicitors, pharmacists, tax accountants and dozens of other professions are gathering at the University’s Propylaia at Panepistimiou Street in the Athens center at 11.30 a.m. on Thursday. The protestors will march towards the Greek Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Social Solidarity before heading to Greek Parliament at Syntagma Square.

Protestor say that the government bill on social security lacks credibility and is both dangerous and non-viable. The organizers of the strike action say that they will continue their action to pressure the government to withdraw the bill. The Lawyers Bar Association President Vasilis Alexandris highlighted the ambiguity of the bill that forces lawyers with income from zero to 5,000 euros per annum to pay 2,823 euros worth of contributions. Alexandris noted that apart from social security contributions, lawyers are also burdened with 26% income tax and 23% VAT.

Workers at municipalities and some doctors from the Greek National Organization of Healthcare Services (EOPPY) are also hosting stop-work action for four hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.