Greek economy referendum

Former Prime Minister George Papandreou revealed on Friday that he had asked Greece’s lenders to offer the country its first bailout package at a lower interest rate but his request was refused.

 MPs call off meeting on multi-bill vote as Papandreou insists he is not a threat to party

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Deputy Premier Evengelos Venizelos are due to hold a second meeting on Monday to discuss the fallout from the passing of the multi-bill through Parliament on Sunday night and preparations for the Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings in Athens on Tuesday and Wednesday.

PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos slammed his predecessor George Papandreou for failing to support both articles of the omnibus bill in a late vote on Sunday but stopped short of ousting the former prime minister from the party, a move that would have put the coalition’s majority at risk.

The omnibus bill containing liberalization measures and other reforms that Greece needed to pass to receive its next bailout tranche squeezed through Parliament at just after midnight on Sunday but the vote led to the government’s majority dwindling further.

People line up outside a pharmacy in central Athens that was on duty on Friday. Pharmacists have been on strike for several days and have vowed to continue their action unless the government withdraws a provision for the deregulation of the over-the-counter drug market.

A contentious provision that would lead to any immigrants who make false claims against law enforcement officers being deported from Greece is likely to be brought to Parliament for a third time, the government’s general secretary Takis Baltakos said on Friday.

After reaching an agreement with the troika on Tuesday, the Greek government now has to prepare legislation for the reforms it agreed with its lenders in the hope that the disbursement of at least 10 billion euros in loans will be approved at an informal Eurogroup meeting due to take place in Athens on April 1.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Tuesday insisted that no new austerity measures will be required as part of a deal reached earlier in the day between the Greek government and troika inspectors following seven months of tough negotiations.

"Today a long period of tribulations has ended, and a new beginning is being made," Samaras said.