News / Europe

Greece Outlines Plan for Bailout Revisions

Newly appointed Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arrives for the first cabinet meeting of his government at the parliament in Athens, June 21, 2012.Newly appointed Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arrives for the first cabinet meeting of his government at the parliament in Athens, June 21, 2012.
x
Newly appointed Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arrives for the first cabinet meeting of his government at the parliament in Athens, June 21, 2012.
Newly appointed Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arrives for the first cabinet meeting of his government at the parliament in Athens, June 21, 2012.
TEXT SIZE - +
VOA News
Greece's new coalition government is developing proposed revisions to tough austerity measures that were imposed under an international bailout agreement.

The cash-strapped government issued a statement Saturday that says it would try to repeal some taxes, freeze public sector layoffs and extend deadlines for imposing fiscal reforms by at least two years.

The government announced its plans two days before Greek authorities meet with European and international debt inspectors.

The inspectors will be in Athens on Monday to review Greece's progress in carrying out austerity measures, part of a deal with international lenders.

In its policy statement, the government said it wants to meet its financial goals without making additional cuts to salaries and pensions. The government also said it does not want to impose any new taxes.

Greece has been under intense international pressure to carry out the terms of the bailout agreement which was put in place after the country's debt reached a crisis level in 2009.  The crisis set off a chain reaction across Europe.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' New Democracy party won the highest number of seats in this month's parliamentary elections but fell short of the absolute majority needed to govern.

As a result the conservative party negotiated a coalition agreement with the Democratic Left and the socialist PASOK party. Shortly after its formation, the new government said it wanted to renegotiate the terms of the international bailout package.

Greece has a 22-percent unemployment rate and is now in its fifth year of a recession.

You May Like

South Africa to Host World's Biggest Telescope

South Africa competed against Australia to host the telescope, the final decision was to split the SKA between the two countries More

Report: Global Warming Could Reverse Development

World Bank study says warmer climates threaten advances and could exacerbate poverty in world’s poorest regions More

Video Inmates Fight Fires, Gain Skills for Life After Prison

In California, physically fit inmates with no history of violent crimes can train, work as firefighters while serving their time More

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Human Rights Film Festival Highlights Gender, Economic Issues

Twenty new films from around the world are screening in New York this week, as part of the 24th annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival, co-presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and IFC Center. The issues explored range from the rights of women, gays and the disabled, to economic justice, to political murder, torture and wrongful imprisonment. VOA’s Carolyn Weaver reports from New York.