Greece approves scheme to fire thousands of public workers

The parliament in Greece narrowly approved a public sector reform bill on the 18 July 2013 that would see thousands of people lose their jobs.

Adopting the law was tied to the country's fresh €6.8bn of further bailout loans, needed to keep Greece afloat.

During the debate thousands of protesters rallied outside the parliament in Athens.

However, media reports claiming Greece needed to plug a huge new hole in its budget were dismissed as untrue by the European Commission on the 17 July 2013.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Gov’t tries to allay protests ahead of vote on multi-bill http://www.europeansources.info/record/govt-tries-to-allay-protests-ahead-of-vote-on-multi-bill/

BBC News, 18.07.13: Greek MPs back public sector cuts amid protests http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23352684

Deutsche Welle, 17.07.13: Greece passes divisive public-sector reform bill http://dw.de/p/199ur

Deutsche Welle, 17.07.13: EU denies multi-billion-euro funding gap in Greece http://dw.de/p/199cu

EUObserver, 18.07.13: German finance minister visits angry Greece http://euobserver.com/economic/120897

EurActiv, 18.07.13: Greece lays off 25,000 public workers in education, police http://www.euractiv.com/socialeurope/greek-parliament-scraps-25000-te-news-529367

Kathimerini, 18.07.13: Brussels to examine all prior actions http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_18/07/2013_510186

Kathimerini, 18.07.13: Schaeuble pledges support, funds but no debt relief, yet http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_18/07/2013_510185

Spiegel Online International, 18.07.13: The Painful Truth: Greece Needs a Debt Haircut Now http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/opinion-why-greece-should-be-given-a-debt-haircut-now-a-911946.html

EurActiv, 19.07.13: Germany says 'no' to a second Greek haircut, for now http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/germany-second-greek-haircut-news-529391

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