Greece’s parliament has narrowly approved a new batch of austerity measures, including thousands of public-sector job cuts and transfers, demanded by the country’s creditors to keep vital bailout loans flowing.
MPs backed the cutbacks in an article-by-article vote early on Thursday morning, with two of the governing coalition’s 155 deputies failing to back crucial articles.
It was the first major test for conservative prime minister Antonis Samaras since a left-wing party abandoned his coalition government last month.
The legislation will put 12,500 public-sector staff, mostly teachers and municipal workers, in a programme that subjects them to involuntary transfers and possible dismissals. It will also pave the way for 15,000 layoffs by the end of next year.
City halls across the country have been closed this week, with uncollected rubbish piling up on the streets, and unions held a general strike on Tuesday against the proposed cuts.
via The Guardian
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