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Greece: Parliament to vote on more bailout conditions

Greece: Parliament to vote on more bailout conditions

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

A woman reads a paper in front of a shop selling old stereo systems in Athens, Tuesday, July 21, 2015. Banks reopened Monday for the first time in three weeks. But for most Greeks, already buffeted by six years of recession, Monday was all about rising prices as tax hikes demanded by creditors took effect. AP

ATHENS: Greece's parliament has begun an emergency debate on a second round of conditions demanded by international creditors for a new bailout — a vote that could threaten the coalition government. Lawmakers late Wednesday will vote on judicial and banking reforms set as a requirement by other Eurozone countries for a third Greek rescue package worth 85 billion euros ($93 billion). Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is already relying on support from pro-European opposition parties to gain parliamentary approval for bailout conditions, amid growing dissent within his left-wing Syriza party. Tsipras has imposed a tough new round of austerity measures this month and needs to conclude the bailout negotiations before Aug. 20, when Greece must repay loans worth more than 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to the European Central Bank.