Greek government to present new austerity measures to parliament

The Greek government is set to present a new austerity package to the country’s parliament in a move that will spark a fresh wave of anti-austerity protests and strikes.

The austerity package will be presented by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, introducing spending cuts and tax hikes worth 13.5 billion euros ($17 billion).

The package is set to be voted on in the parliament on Wednesday.

Samaras needs to win the vote in order to secure over 31 billion euros in aid from the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, which has been on hold since May.

Greece has been cutting down its spending during the past four years. A quarter of Greeks have lost their jobs as a result of the move.

Experts believe the vote will go in favor of the government measures.

In response to the proposed measures, the main public and private sector unions in Greece have planned to start a 48-hour strike on Tuesday.

Union leaders say the austerity measures will only deepen the country’s economic crisis.

The long-drawn-out eurozone debt crisis, which began in Greece in late 2009 and reached Italy, Spain, and France in 2011, is viewed as a threat not only to Europe but also to many of the world’s other developed economies.