14-Feb-2012 - Greek MPs debate austerity bill

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12 February 2012 Last updated at 16:16 GMT Greek MPs debate controversial austerity plan The Greek parliament is debating an unpopular austerity bill demanded in return for a 130bn-euro (170bn; £110bn) bailout to avoid default. PM Lucas Papademos earlier warned that failure to pass Monster Beats Studio by Dr Dre San Francisco 49ers Headphone Black the package would "set the country on a disastrous adventure". Some MPs from the governing parties are expected to vote against the package. Outside parliament, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters - a BBC correspondent there said petrol bombs were thrown by angry demonstrators. Riot police were on high alert as crowds gathered for a second day of protests. Analysts say the bill should still have enough support in parliament. A vote is expected later on Sunday. Lawmakers are also due to vote on a separate deal with private banks which could see 100bn euros of Greek debt written off. If the measures are not approved, other eurozone nations and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) say Greece will get no money from them and will face bankruptcy in March, the BBC's Europe correspondent Chris Morris reports from Athens. Athens has to repay nearly 14.5bn euros in maturing debt on 20 March. 'Ground Zero' warning The debate began in the early afternoon on Sunday and is expected to carry on into the evening, with the vote not expected until midnight (22:00 GMT). Continue reading the main story Pasok, the largest party, and its coalition ally New Democracy - which have Monster Beats Pro By Dr Dre High Performance Professional Pro-tuned White/Red Headphone both backed the bill - account for more than 230 deputies out of a total of 300. In a TV address on Saturday, Mr Papademos warned that Greece was "just a breath away from Ground Zero". "The social cost of this programme is limited in comparison with the economic and social catastrophe that would follow if we didn't adopt it," he said. Savings would be lost, the government would be unable to pay wages or salaries, and imports of fuel, medicine and machinery would be disrupted, he added. The austerity cuts include: 15,000 public-sector job cuts liberalisation of labour laws lowering the minimum wage by 20% from 751 euros a month to 600 euros negotiating a debt write-off Monster Beats Studio by Dr Dre Graffiti Headphones Red with banks. They were presented to a eurozone ministers in Brussels on Thursday evening. The Greek cabinet has approved the measures but five government ministers resigned. But the eurozone block wants a further 325m euros in savings for this year and also insists that Greek leaders give "strong political assurances" on the implementation of the packages. Greece cannot service its huge debt, and there are fears that a default could endanger Europe's financial stability and even lead to a break-up of the eurozone.

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