Greek leaders seek to defer austerity cuts

The FT and other sources reported that the first signs of strain emerged in Greece’s five-week-old governing coalition on the 30 July 2012 after two of its leftwing leaders decided the country’s next austerity package should be modified before a critical meeting with Antonis Samaras, the centre-right prime minister.

PASOK’s Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left’s Fotis Kouvelis - attempted to argue that Greece should not agree to all of the €11.5bn in spending cuts demanded by the troika but the prime minister seemed adamant that the package was the government’s only option.

ESO: Background information: Barroso pushes Greece to show results http://www.europeansources.info/record/barroso-pushes-greece-to-show-results/

Kathimerini, 30.7.12: Leaders balk at savings http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_9294_30/07/2012_454616

EUObserver, 1.8.12: Greece running out of cash as talks continue http://euobserver.com/19/117113

Kathimerini, 31.7.12: New effort to agree cuts http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_30563_31/07/2012_454859

---