NEWS

Tsipras talks up bailout deal with lawmakers

Tsipras talks up bailout deal with lawmakers

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sought on Friday to bring his leftist SYRIZA party on board to approve a deal reached with international lenders, sweetening the pot by saying any above-target savings this year would go to the Greek people.

He also repeated his mantra that Greece has done its bit with austerity and reforms and that it is now time for the lenders – the European Union and International Monetary Fund – to meet their promises to consider debt relief.

"After five years of promises… our lenders are faced with the obligation to immediately adopt substantial measures to reduce the debt," Tsipras told his party lawmakers.

Tsipras was speaking following Tuesday's initial deal on a package of reforms – including such unpopular moves as cutting pensions – between creditors and the government.

The agreement ends six months of staff-level haggling and will pave the way for the disbursement of further rescue funds if approved first by the Greek parliament and then by euro zone finance ministers. [Reuters]

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