Greek parliament passes harsh 2013 austerity budget despite public protests

Press TV: The Greek parliament has approved a 2013 budget that imposes new austerity measures on the nation in an effort to secure a loan from its international creditors (aka the banksters) to "save the debt-ridden country from bankruptcy." (which actually means to save the banksters from the so called "free market" and having to find proper jobs.)

The budget was passed by 167 morons votes to 128 in the 300-member parliament early Monday, AFP reported. (The lunatics have taken over the asylum)

The passage of the bill was a pre-condition for Athens to unlock a 31.5 billion euro (40 billion fictitious fiat dollars created out of thin air, like your personal mortgage or loan) tranche of bailout funds from its three international creditors -- the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Central Bank.

The bailout is crucial to "the Greek economy", as without it Greece risks default on November 16, when the government must repay a three-month treasury bill worth five billion euros (6.3 billion dollars).

Ahead of the vote, around 15,000 anti-austerity protesters filled the streets leading to the parliament building in Athens to voice their anger at the fresh cuts in public spending and wages.


This latest vote came only days after the parliament narrowly passed a separate austerity package. On November 7, Greek lawmakers voted for the bill that cuts pensions by up to 15 percent, reduces some wages by a third, and raises the retirement age to 67.

Greece has been in a recession for the past five years. The country has been cutting down its spending over the past four years which has resulted in a quarter of Greeks losing their jobs.

One in every five Greek workers is currently unemployed, banks are in a shaky position, and pensions and salaries have been slashed by up to 40 percent.

The country has been surviving on bailout loans from its international creditors since May 2010. (Translation: being shafted, raped pillaged, carved up by banksters, that it should have defaulted on ages ago.)

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