Greece parliament satisfies bailout deal terms: EU

An EU spokesperson says a Greek legislative vote for harsh economic measures required for a bailout package satisfies the initial terms of a deal between Greece and its creditors.

“The authorities have legally implemented the first set of four measures agreed at the euro summit in a timely and overall satisfactory manner,” EU spokeswoman Annika Breidthardt said on Thursday.

The development came as the Greek parliament adopted a set of reforms demanded by its creditors overnight Wednesday after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called on the MPs to vote for the unpopular measures.

Before the vote, Tsipras said he was willing to implement the “irrational” EU proposals to avert the collapse of Greek banks and a potential disaster for the country.

“The Greek people are fully conscious and can understand the difference between those who fight in an unfair battle and those who just hand in their weapons,” Tsipras said.

The newly-passed legislation includes tax hikes and an increase in the retirement age.

While 229 lawmakers voted in favor of the bailout deal, 64 voted against it and six abstained. Half of those rejecting the deal were from the ruling Syriza Party.

Among the MPs voting against the measure was parliament speaker Zoe Constantopoulo, who walked out in the middle of deliberations before returning to deliver a blistering speech censuring a “very black day for democracy in Europe.”

Yanis Varoufakis, who stepped down as finance minister on July 6, also voted against the bailout package after writing a scornful blog dismissing the deal earlier.

Opponents of the deal gathered near the parliament in Athens, throwing petrol bombs at police, who responded by firing tear gas.