Greek PM Tsipras tells lawmakers he needs their support to stay

Following an emotional debate and early-morning vote, the country’s parliament approved a raft of austerity measures that its worldwide creditors had demanded as a first step before negotiating a final rescue deal.

Hardliners in the ruling Syriza party opposed the deal, but Tsipras found unlikely support from the opposition New Democracy, whose interim leader Vangelis Meimarakis had harsh words, causing last-minute tension when he told the prime minister that firebrand politics would lose him more members.

A Greek parliament vote satisfies the initial terms of a bailout deal between Athens and its EU creditors agreed at a 17-hour summit earlier this week, an EU spokeswoman said Thursday.

The austerity bill triggered a revolt in the governing party and demonstrations in central Athens, one of which briefly turned violent, but was required by creditors as a precondition for starting bailout talks.

Numerous terms are the kind of austerity measures that Greeks voted against in the referendum, meaning the deal has proved controversial.

Greek Deputy Defence Minister Kostas Isychos and Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis announced their readiness to resign after the vote.

‘I don’t know if we did the right thing.

The global Monetary Fund had suggested as much last week.

The European Union said Wednesday that it would lend more than €7 billion to Greece for the country to cover critical repayments in the next weeks.

In a letter sent to Tsipras on Monday and released by the finance ministry Wednesday, Valavani said she believed “dominant circles in Germany” were intent on “the full humiliation of the government and the country”.

In exchange for funding worth up to Euro 86 billion ($94 billion), Greece has accepted reforms including significant pension adjustments, increases to value added taxes, an overhaul of its collective bargaining system, measures to liberalize its economy and tight limits on public spending.

Even if Athens carries out austerity programme it still won’t be able to pay back billions of Euros.

Fresh polls published late Tuesday by Kapa Research, however, found 72 percent of Greeks surveyed thought the deal was necessary, with the majority blaming Europe for the “tough measures”. About 13,000 people gathered to protest in central Athens on Wednesday night, police said.

Dangerously low on liquidity at banks and with the state practically out of cash, Greece desperately needs funds.

The speaker of the Parliament described what had been put upon Greece as a “crime against humanity” – a “social genocide”.

Police said 37 people were detained and 16 arrested over the hour-long clashes that involved youths hurling rocks and petrol bombs outside parliament, and riot police responding with tear gas and baton charges.