Firebomb explodes at Greek government office

ATHENS - Agence France-Presse

Police officers secure the Bank of Greece as they wait for a workers' march to arrive in Athens in this file photo. REUTERS photo

A home-made firebomb exploded earlier today in Athens in front of a building housing offices of Greece's administrative reform ministry, police said.
 
The explosion at 1:52 a.m. (2252 GMT) in front of the ministry annex started a fire that seriously damaged the building's ground floor and a car parked nearby.
 
Greek police blame the country's recent surge in firebombs on the anti-government protests that have shaken crisis-hit Greece since it began imposing austerity measures under an international bailout.
 
The attacks typically target government buildings, banks, embassies and foreign companies.
 
Last week a group calling itself the February 12 Movement -- the date parliament passed a new round of austerity measures imposed by the EU and IMF -- claimed a late-February firebomb attempt in the Athens subway, the first attack on the public transport system.
 
Administrative Reform Minister Dimitris Reppas recently announced a series of measures to slash the number of government workers, a move demanded by the country's creditors.