Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to gather for the second day in Athens as parliament takes a final vote on tough new austerity measures.

Protesters and police clashed violently in front of the Greek parliament building Wednesday.

At least six protesters and 15 police officers were injured amid the disturbances, police said, and at least 15 people were arrested.

Greeks are angry at yet another round of planned austerity measures as Greece tries to bring down its stratospheric debt.

The 48-hour general strike is due to continue on Thursday with workers in virtually every sector of the economy participating.

Air traffic controllers went back to work after a 12-hour stoppage on Wednesday, allowing international and domestic flights to resume.

But civil servants, shopkeepers, dock workers, taxi drivers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, construction workers and others were due to continue the industrial action.

Parliament is expected to approve the articles of an austerity bill after giving it preliminary approval in a first vote late on Wednesday by a margin of 154-141 of the 300 deputies.

The bill envisages measures for higher taxes, further cuts to pensions and salaries and the suspension of collective labor agreements.

They will also suspend 30,000 public servants on reduced pay and introduce a new civil service salary system.

Greece says it needs the next USD 11 B installment from the first package of bailout loans agreed last year or it will run out of money in November.

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