Gold mine workers protesting at ministry head downtown

Workers for the Greek subsidiary of Canadian miner Eldorado Gold were staging a protest at the Environment and Energy Ministry in northern Athens and headed into the city center on Thursday morning, resulting in major roads being closed to traffic.

The workers have launched a 48-hour strike and traveled overnight to the capital from the company's mines on the northern Greek peninsula of Halkidiki to hold the demonstration.

They are demanding that the government issue the remaining permits for a mine at Skouries, amid an ongoing row that last week prompted the Canadian mining company to threaten a suspension of all operations.

The protesters marched from the northern suburbs to central Athens to stage a rally in front of the prime minister's office at the Maximos Mansion.