Greek Leaders Push For Cuts Amid Backlash

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　　Socialist¹ Pasok party leader George Papandreou and New Democracy Party leader Antonis Samaras Saturday urged lawmakers to back the latest round of budget cuts, saying there is no other viable² choice.

　　Papandreou warned any failure to pass the austerity measures would lead to the country's doom³.

　　"We are talking about chaos⁴, my dear colleagues," said Papandreou.  "We are talking about the most dangerous and most painful consequences for the country and specifically for those that don't have any money - for the unemployed⁵ , for the middle- and lower- income classes.''

　　Samaras warned his party's members campaign-style politicking⁶ will not be tolerated.

　　"I know that very well around you there are some ambitious politicians who are trying to impress with anti-bailout agreement rhetoric⁷. Whoever does this should know that with this irresponsible attempt to act like they are more Catholic than the Pope, they won't succeed in even being candidates [in the next election],'' Samaras said.

　　The Greek Cabinet approved a draft of the austerity bill late Friday and the full parliament is expected to vote Sunday.  European Union members have demanded the additional cuts in exchange for a new $172 billion bailout loan.

　　Greece must pay back $19 billion in debts next month. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told his Cabinet Friday that Greece will descend⁸ into "a disastrous⁹ adventure" if it is unable to repay its creditors¹⁰.

　　Despite the dire¹¹ warnings, thousands of Greeks have taken to the streets, at times clashing with police, to protests the budget cuts.

　　Several thousand gathered outside the parliament building Saturday, calling on lawmakers to reject the EU's demands.

　　Protesters also turned out in the thousands in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.  Transportation ground to halt in Athens and around the country, as workers continued their strike for a second day.

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