Greece finalizes agreement with lenders on austerity measures（在线收听） |
Greece finalizes agreement with lenders on austerity measures ATHENS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Greece finalized an agreement with international lenders on the supplementary package of austerity and reform measures requested to secure further vital bailout loans in November, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras announced on Tuesday. "Today we concluded the negotiations for the measures and the budget. We did everything possible. We exhausted all margins of pressure and time. Up to the last minute we achieved significant improvements," he said in a statement issued from his office.
"If this agreement and the budget will be ratified from the assembly, Greece will remain member of the eurozone, and it will exit the crisis," he added, calling on all political parties and deputies to assume their share of responsibility to meet the goal of averting a chaotic default.
According to the Speaker of Parliament Evangelos Meimarakis and Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras the 2013 draft budget will be tabled in the assembly on Wednesday and the austerity package next Monday.
The crucial votes will be held from November 7 to November 11, shortly before a Eurogroup meeting on November 12 which will decide on the release of the next 31.5 billion euro tranche to Athens.
Samaras' announcement came after two months of tough talks with representatives of European Union and International Monetary Fund creditors who keep the country afloat under bailout deals since 2010, and within the partners of the four-month coalition government in Greece.
In their first reactions, his two junior center-left parties who had opposed some of the measures, indicated their intentions which has fuelled anxiety of a dangerous split in the coalition.
Moderate Democratic Left (DIMAR) leader Fotis Kouvelis told media that his party does not agree with the final result and still objects to proposed labor reforms.
Socialist PASOK party chief Evangelos Venizelos on the other hand urged his MPs to back the measures amid local media reports that several deputies will join DIMAR's stance.
The parliamentary groups of both parties hold meetings on Tuesday afternoon to discuss their final position in regards to the austerity package, the budget draft and a privatization bill.
The vote on the latter is scheduled for Wednesday and is regarded as a first crunch test for the government which holds a 176 seat majority in the 300-member strong assembly. The conservative New Democracy party of Samaras holds 127 seats, PASOK 33 and DIMAR 16.
International creditors have stated that they will release the fresh aid only if Greece seals the new package which contains further painful cuts on salaries, wages and tax hikes.
Otherwise, the debt-laden country will run out of cash reserves on November 16, as the Greek government has said, triggering severe repercussions across the euro zone.
Labor unions and opposition parties who denounce austerity due to the mounting unemployment and recession, warn with culmination of protests in coming days. (1 euro= 1.3 U.S. dollars) |
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