ATHENS, Greece (AP) _ Greece's future in the eurozone came under renewed threat as popular protests again turned violent and dissent grew among its lawmakers after European leaders demanded deeper spending cuts.
The country's beleaguered coalition government promised to push through the tough new austerity measures and rescue a crucial 130 billion euro ($170 billion) bailout deal after six members of the Cabinet resigned.
An anti-austerity protester waves a Greek flag in front of the heavily guarded parliament in Athens Feb. 7. (Reuters-Yonhap News)
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos promised Friday to "do everything necessary'' to ensure parliament passes the new austerity measures that would slap Greeks with a minimum wage cut during a fifth year of recession. He also promised to replace any other Cabinet members who did not fully back his efforts.
"It is absolutely necessary to complete the effort that began almost two years to consolidate public finances, restore competitiveness and economic recovery,'' Papademos told an emergency Cabinet meeting.
Draft legislation for the new austerity measures was submitted to parliament after the five-hour meeting ended.
In central Athens, clashes erupted Friday outside Parliament between dozens of hooded youths and police in riot gear. Police said eight officers and two members of the public were injured, while six suspected rioters were arrested.
The violence broke as more than 15,000 people took to the streets of the capital after unions launched a two-day general strike that disrupted transport and other public services and left state hospitals running on emergency staff.
Scores of youths, some in gas masks, used sledge hammers to smash up marble paving stones in Athens' main Syntagma Square before hurling the rubble at riot police.
Debt-stricken Greece does not have the money to cover a (euro) 14.5 billion bond repayment on March 20, and must reach a vital debt-relief deal with private bond investors before then.
Papademos said the bailout and the deal with private creditors.
<한글기사>
그리스 내각, 긴축안 승인
12일 의회 표결 예정
그리스 연립정부가 10일(현지시간) 2차 구제금융 프로그램을 받는 조건으로 요구된 긴축안을 승인했다고 그리스 총리실이 밝혔다.
그리스 총리실은 이날 비상내각 회의 후 유로존(유로화 사용 17개국)의 구제안과 구제금융의 조건으로 제시된 긴축조치들을 "만장일치로 승인했다"고 밝혔다.
이에 따라 긴축안이 그리스 의회에 제출됐으며 오는 12일 표결이 실시된다고 관영 아테네 통신이 전했다.
앞서 유로존 재무장관들은 그리스에 1천300억 유로 규모의 구제금융을 받는 조건으로 3억2천500만 유로(약 4천834억원)의 추가 긴축과 긴축조치· 경제개혁에 대한 의회 비준 등을 제시했다.
그러나 그리스 연립정부를 구성하고 있는 세 정당 가운데 소수정당인 라오스(LAOS)는 긴축안에 반대를 표명하며 소속 각료들이 내각에서 사퇴했다.
이에 루카스 파파데모스 그리스 총리는 TV 연설을 통해 "무질서한 채무불이행(디폴트)은 경제적 혼란과 사회적 폭발을 초래할 것"이라면서 파국을 피하기 위해 제 2차 구제금융에 관한 합의와 긴축정책을 추진하겠다는 뜻을 분명히 밝혔다. (연합뉴스)
