ATHENS -
The Greek Parliament voted narrowly early Monday to back a bitterly contested
package of economic changes, clearing the way for the release of further
funding considered crucial for a financial rescue, despite a last-minute
attempt by the political opposition to postpone the vote.
In a statement after the vote, Prime
Minister Antonis Samaras described it as “a huge step toward the Greece of
tomorrow, for young Greeks, for the Greek people.” But the vote led to the
ejection of a Member of Parliament from the conservative New Democracy party,
which leads the country’s fragile coalition, reducing its majority in
Parliament to just two seats in the 300-seat House.
The passage of the economic measures, which
interest groups ranging from dairy producers to pharmacists opposed, opened the
way for the release of up to 10 billion euros in loans, or $13.8 billion, that
Greece needs to pay down bonds.
Greece’s so-called troika of international
lenders - the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the
International Monetary Fund - has extended the country two bailouts worth €240
billion. The bailout money has been given out in installments in exchange for
austerity measures, chiefly tax increases and cuts to salaries and pensions,
that have slashed living standards and led to record unemployment of close to
28 percent.
The latest measures include steps to lift
barriers to competition and a new framework for the continuing recapitalization
of Greek banks. The bill also includes a pledge to distribute €527 million to
Greeks on low incomes.
The bill was passed into law after a day of
high tension and drama in the Greek Parliament. Earlier in the day, the main
leftist opposition party, Syriza, which opposes the terms of Greece’s
international bailouts, called for a censure motion against Finance Minister
Yannis Stournaras. The leftist leader Alexis Tsipras described him as “the key
administrator of a death contract against the Greek people.” After several
hours of vehement exchanges and argument, the speaker of Parliament rejected
the leftists’ motion as unconstitutional because it came less than six months
after a similar initiative by Syriza.
Mr. Stournaras, who has coordinated tough
negotiations with the troika and is to head the euro zone meeting in Athens on
Tuesday, accused Mr. Tsipras of attempting what he called an “unprecedented
parliamentary coup” aimed at upsetting the government’s efforts to clinch
rescue funding without delay.
Public opposition to an overhaul remains
strong in Greece, though the violent protests that once accompanied austerity
rallies in Athens have become rare after more than three years of economic
changes imposed by the troika. Outside the Parliament building on Sunday night,
about 12,000 Greeks peacefully protested the measures. Labor unions are planning
a strike for April 9, the 36th since Greece signed its first international
bailout in 2010.
(Πηγή: nytimes.com)