Clashes Outside Parliament as Greek Austerity Bill Gets Approved
NTDTelevision
2011-10-21
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To Greece, where the latest austerity bill passes the final vote in parliament. The bill promises more taxes, cuts in wages and will lay off some 30,000 civil servants. But 2 days of riots about these latest measures are rocking the capital, showing growing public anger. Here's more.
Greek lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval for an austerity law cutting wages, jobs and hiking taxes.
The move is needed for the country to get the next batch of bailout funds and avoid bankruptcy, but one deputy was expelled for voting against one of the articles in the bill.
Member of Parliament Louka Katseli, a former labor minister, voted against one key labor law article of the bill.
She defied government warnings that rejection of any part of the legislation could lead to the country's bankruptcy.
[Louka Katseli, Governing Party Member]:
"I fully realize the responsibility we have to support the government in its negotiations, and that is why I voted for the bill in principle, despite the reservations I stated to the parliamentary group for several articles, as well as proposals for improvement."
The specific article effectively weakens collective wage agreements at smaller firms.
She was expelled by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou from the ruling party's parliamentary group.
Passing the bill was another hurdle for the government to jump as EU leaders meet on the weekend to discuss Greece's economic fate.
The bill imposes more taxes, cuts more wages, and will lay off some 30,000 civil servants.
It comes on top of measures already taken since last year that include wage cuts, benefit cuts, taxes on goods, services and businesses, and other state cost cutting.
The measures, especially the latest wave, caused two days of demonstrations and riots in the streets of Athens...
Follow us on Twitter ☛ http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision
Follow us on Facebook ☛ http://me.lt/9P8MUn
To Greece, where the latest austerity bill passes the final vote in parliament. The bill promises more taxes, cuts in wages and will lay off some 30,000 civil servants. But 2 days of riots about these latest measures are rocking the capital, showing growing public anger. Here's more.
Greek lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval for an austerity law cutting wages, jobs and hiking taxes.
The move is needed for the country to get the next batch of bailout funds and avoid bankruptcy, but one deputy was expelled for voting against one of the articles in the bill.
Member of Parliament Louka Katseli, a former labor minister, voted against one key labor law article of the bill.
She defied government warnings that rejection of any part of the legislation could lead to the country's bankruptcy.
[Louka Katseli, Governing Party Member]:
"I fully realize the responsibility we have to support the government in its negotiations, and that is why I voted for the bill in principle, despite the reservations I stated to the parliamentary group for several articles, as well as proposals for improvement."
The specific article effectively weakens collective wage agreements at smaller firms.
She was expelled by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou from the ruling party's parliamentary group.
Passing the bill was another hurdle for the government to jump as EU leaders meet on the weekend to discuss Greece's economic fate.
The bill imposes more taxes, cuts more wages, and will lay off some 30,000 civil servants.
It comes on top of measures already taken since last year that include wage cuts, benefit cuts, taxes on goods, services and businesses, and other state cost cutting.
The measures, especially the latest wave, caused two days of demonstrations and riots in the streets of Athens...
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