ATHENS, Jan. 15 -- The Greek parliament approved on Monday a new austerity and reform package expected to clear the way for the disbursement of the next bailout tranche in the coming weeks.
The 1,500-page omnibus bill was approved with the backing of 154 for and 141 lawmakers voted against. A total of 295 lawmakers participated in the vote.
Addressing the plenary before the vote, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that Greece moved one step closer towards exiting the bailouts and the eight-year debt crisis.
"A long and difficult cycle closes. Essentially, this concludes the legislative part of the prior actions needed for the conclusion of the third review and everybody is aware that with the conclusion of the third review, we are one step before the end of the program and the final end of the memoranda," he told MPs.
"The difficulties are now behind us. Ahead of us there is a great effort to heal the wounds of the crisis. Ahead of us is a big wager, what we have described as the wager of the fair growth," he added.
The bill foresees among others new cuts on family benefits and restrictions regarding the declaration of strikes.
It also foresees the launch of e-auctions for foreclosed properties as of Feb. 21 as part of efforts to reduce the burden on non-performing loans on Greek banks under the terms of the third Greek bailout which ends in the summer.
Responding to the criticism of opposition parties and labor unions which staged a new round of strikes and protests on Monday, the Greek premier said that there was much disinformation and misunderstanding.
The reform will make the benefits system fairer, he pledged.
Under the new law, first-level labor unions will need the absolute majority of at least 50 percent of active members who pay dues before declaring a strike in the future. Currently, the percentage stands at only one third of union members.
The frequency of strikes, in particular in the past eight years, obstructs the recovery of the ailing economy, the bill's proponents said.
"The approval of the bill is expected to remove lingering uncertainties and further strengthen Greece's outlook for a stronger recovery in 2018," the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises said in a report released on Monday.
Main opposition conservative New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis doubted the exit from the crisis was near.
"Nothing is over in August. The supervision (of Greek economy by international creditors) will continue. This is the truth. It is obvious that you will assume more obligations using as an alibi the debt relief," Mitsotakis added.
MP Theodora Megalooikonomou, who had been elected with the Centrists Union and turned independent in 2017, voted in favor of the bill and asked to join the parliamentary group of the radical left SYRIZA party.
Tsipras accepted the request and now SYRIZA has 145 seats in parliament, while the Independent Greeks party, the junior partner, has nine seats.
过了21岁 我们还剩多少朋友?
英国离婚后父亲不准探视 被指“荒谬的骗局”
每日饮酒两杯 女性乳腺癌患病风险增高50%
研究:乘车上下班有害身心健康
健身时最适合听什么歌?这个问题终于有答案了!
苹果收购3D技术地图公司 或自推新地图应用
体坛英语资讯:Djokovic beats Agut to reach Wimbledon final
国内英语资讯:Xi presides over symposium for soliciting advice on economic work
你穿情侣装了吗?
让人嗔目结舌的40幅幽默平面广告(上)
寺庙香火传承危机:日本僧侣也相亲
从外貌判断他对爱情的忠诚
职场人每天遗忘五件事 盘点最容易漏掉啥
体坛英语资讯:Debutants shine in Tour de France stage 6
川菜是如何征服全世界吃货的?
英国中产阶级延迟退休以资助子女
Tim Cook新政:没了乔布斯,苹果驶向何方?
英科学家称“灵魂出窍”实为生理反应
波音公司计划研发“太空出租车”
国内英语资讯:CPC meeting analyzes economic situation, reviews accountability regulation, inspection repor
让爱情持久弥新的7个小秘密
2019上半年CATTI笔译二级真题汉译英(第二篇)
八月出生孩子学习成绩较差 易成问题少年
贵州福泉运炸药车辆爆炸,截止目前致8死300伤
你准备好如何庆祝单身节了吗?
国内英语资讯:China reiterates opposition to multilateralization of INF Treaty
史蒂夫•乔布斯临终前的最后一句话:“OH WOW”
国内英语资讯:Xi stresses focusing on reform to strengthen military
手机在“疯行”:英国手机数量超过人口数
MoMA的变革与新生
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |