Greek parliament approves €172bn bailout loan
Greece's parliament has today approved a new international bailout deal, which will see the crisis-hit country receive an additional €172bn in rescue loans.
Politicians voted 213-79 in favour of the new agreement, with deputies backing the coalition government of socialists and conservatives broadly following party lines.
Earlier, the Communist Party staged nationwide protests against the deal, including a rally outside parliament attended by several thousand demonstrators.
Greece narrowly avoided default this month after sealing the loan agreement - the second in two years - with eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund, as well as a massive debt restructuring deal with banks and other private bond holders.
"There is no other solution. If anyone has an alternative, let them come forward," Deputy Finance Minister Philippos Sachinidis told parliament for the vote.
Greece's prime minister Lucas Papademos' four-month-old coalition is expected to call a general election for late April or early May.
Mr Papademos was expected to name a new finance minister later today after Evangelos Venizelos resigned from the post late on Monday to lead the majority Socialist party, Pasok, in the election.
While the country remains cut off from long-term debt markets, it has continued to hold regular short-term debt auctions.
Yesterday, the public debt management agency said borrowing costs dropped in a new 13-week treasury bill auction that raised €1.3bn, with the country paying 4.25% compared to 4.61% last month.
Greece has been dependent on eurozone-IMF rescue loans since May 2010.
In return for the second bailout, the government pledged to abolish 15,000 public sector jobs this year, while salaries, pensions and other benefits have suffered a new drastic round of cuts.
Staff at a state hospital in Athens refused to accept new patients yesterday, demanding unpaid wages and expressing opposition to merger plans being pushed through by the government to try and cut costs.
Lawyers in many parts of the country also launched a two-day strike.
And protesting Greek ferry crews halted services for two days before their union agreed to return to work on Wednesday.
Athens has also committed to raise €19bn by 2015 under an open-ended €50bn programme to privatise or develop state property.
Yesterday, authorities launched an international tender to develop 186 hectares of coastal land, including a golf course, on the resort island of Rhodes. A similar process is under way for land on the island of Corfu.
Greek state hospital services face disruptions today as staff hold work stoppages and protests over the austerity measures and pay delays.
Doctors and staff at public hospitals in the greater Athens area will walk off the job for three hours today, and are planning a demonstration at the health ministry at noon.
Hospital doctors are also holding a go-slow protest, claiming the Greek government has not given them overtime pay for four months.
Health spending was affected by new cuts this year to ensure Greece can continue receiving loans from euro partners and the International Monetary Fund.
