AM New York (AMNY)
6/30-7/4, 2011
News, Page 6
(Reuters)
A policeman arrests a protester Wednesday outside the Greek parliament building. (GETTY)
Greek police fires tear gas and battled masked demonstrators, who attacked the finance ministry Wednesday, after lawmakers passed the first of two austerity bills demanded by international lenders, to stave off default.
As thousands of protesters rallied outside parliament, deputies voted 155-138 to pass a framework bill on a bitterly contested package of tax hikes, spending targets and privatizations agreed as part of an EU/IMF bailout.
The result cleared the way for a second vote Thursday to pass a separate bill enabling individual budget measures and the creation of a privatization agency. Both bills laying out a $39.7 billion austerity plan must be passed for the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to release a vital $17.3 billion loan payment.
"Today a significant step was taken", Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said after yesterday's vote. "Tomorrow the second one will take place and Sunday I will be able to go to the euro group meeting with credible credentials for the country."
With Greece stuck in its worst recession since the 1970s and a youth unemployment rate of more, than 40 percent, many people feel deeply resentful of Greek politicians, the EU and the banks. "Cops, pigs, murderers!" chanted the crowd at a line of helmeted riot police, who threw flash bombs and tear gas projectiles, to drive back the crowd outside parliament.