Video- Greeks protest 2nd austerity package

Angry protesters have taken to the streets across Greece as a second package of austerity measures won its initial parliamentary approval, Press TV reports.

“295 deputies voted. 154 voted yes, 141, voted No. Thus the bill of the finance ministry passes in principle by a majority,” said Grigoris Niotis, the vice president of the parliament on Wednesday.

The bill, proposing new taxes and additional cuts in pensions and wages among other things, has to be put to a second round of vote on Thursday before turning into legislation.

The protests broke out on Wednesday, with more than 100,000 people rallying in the capital Athens, marking the beginning of a 48-hour general strike.

The industrial action paralyzed the country, having been joined by banks, schools, shops, and public services.

“We just can’t take it anymore. There is desperation, anger and bitterness,” said Nikos Anastasopoulos, one of the protesters, referring to nearly two years of austerity measures imposed upon the people by the government.

The demonstrations quickly turned violent as riot police confronted the protesters with carcinogenic tear gas canisters and stun grenades and the protesters started responding with stones.

Greece’s public debt has been calculated at about EUR 356.5 billion (around USD 490.5 billion), which equals some 162 percent of the country gross domestic product (GDP). The country is currently considered the hardest hit among its fellow debt-laden eurozone states.

Since last year, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have provided Greece with two rescue packages worth over USD 380 billion in return for the tough measures.

The country must persuade both the EU and the IMF that it is making sufficient financial reforms. Otherwise, it will not receive the next USD 11 billion of bailout loans and will go bankrupt by mid-November.