Greek parliament passes reforms agreed with EU/IMF lenders

Record ID: 876359

  • Title: Greek parliament passes reforms agreed with EU/IMF lenders
  • Date: 18th May 2017
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MAY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS WITH COLOURFUL FLAGS BLOCKING STREET IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT/ BANNER READING: (Greek) 'NO TO BAILOUTS, AUSTERITY' PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF MAN SHAKING HIS FIST IN THE AIR AND CHANTING: (Greek) 'THEY WON'T STOP UNLESS YOU STOP THEM' (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PROTESTER, ANTONIS STAMATOPOULOS, A PENSIONER, SAYING: "There is no other solution but revolution. They have taken everything from us, and these pseudo-leftists are finishing us off. The only thing we can do is resist and revolt." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PROTESTER, MARY ATHANASIOU, SAYING "They (the government) must resign immediately, the people demand their resignation." MAN SETTING FIRE TO RULING PARTY SYRIZA FLAG IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING AND THROWING IT UP IN THE AIR SYRIZA PARTY FLAG BURNING ON THE GROUND
  • Embargoed: 1st June 2017 22:54
  • Keywords: austerity bailout parliament Tsipras Syriza Greece
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • City: ATHENS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Budget/Taxation/Revenue,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0026HD8J7R
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Greek lawmakers approved pension cuts and tax hikes on Thursday (May 18) sought by the country's lenders to unlock vital financial aid, as angry demonstrators protested outside parliament over new austerity, the latest since the country plunged into crisis seven years ago.
    The leftist-led government hopes that legislating the measures, four days before euro zone finance ministers meet in Brussels, will convince its lenders to release a 7.5 billion euro bailout tranche and grant it further debt relief.
    Greece has seen its national output shrink by a quarter since it was first forced to seek external financial aid in return for spending cutbacks in 2010.
    Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, initially elected in 2015 on a pledge to tear up austerity only to sign up to a new financial lifeline months later, said he was convinced Greece was now turning a page.
    The government, sagging in opinion polls, has agreed to adopt more austerity, which will be implemented in 2019 and 2020, to convince the International Monetary Fund to participate financially in its latest 86 billion euro bailout.
    To sweeten the pill, Tsipras has promised to offset the new measures with tax relief also legislated on Thursday. It will be implemented only if Greece meets its fiscal targets.
    New austerity has drawn brickbats from the opposition, which has accused Tsipras of costly foot-dragging.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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