ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek lawmakers on Sunday began debating legislation introducing severe austerity measures necessary for the country to secure a euro130 billion ($171.46 billion) bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund and stave off bankruptcy.
The legislation will also approve a bond-swapping deal with private creditors that will allow Greece to shave off at least euro100 billion of its euro360 billion debt.
The debate started shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time (1330 GMT), and will take at least ten hours, finishing well past midnight. Opponents of the legislation have adopted a tactic of frequent and loud interruptions and objections that may further delay debate.
Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the square outside Parliament as the debate began, with more arriving constantly. As the crowds grew, a few hundred anarchists started to throw bottles and firebombs at police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.
The square was soon mostly empty of people, who fled to nearby streets. Crowds booed as the riot police moved in. Some anarchists remained smashing marble stones to use as ammunition.
Police said an officer was injured by a flare shot at him from a gun and he was taken to hospital.
Communist-affiliated unions are holding a separate meeting at the same time and will march to Parliament. The Protesters are expected to remain outside the building throughout the vote.
Authorities, afraid the protests might turn violent, have deployed some 6,000 policemen in the capital's city center.
Pro-communist unionists have been driving through Athens' neighborhoods since early morning, calling for people to participate in the protests. The skies are clear after morning rain, giving a boost to those hoping for a large turnout.
The two parties backing the coalition government have 236 deputies in the 300-member Parliament, but at least 13 conservative and seven socialist lawmakers have declared they will vote against the legislation, defying their leaders' threats of sanctions. Early Sunday, a conservative lawmaker resigned, joining three socialists who did the same earlier this week.
Debt-stricken Greece does not have the money to cover a euro14.5 billion bond repayment on March 20, and must reach a vital debt-relief deal with private bond investors before then. Greece's woes have threatened its future in the 17-country zone that uses the euro currency.
The Europeans are waiting to see Greece finally act on their commitments.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted as telling the Welt am Sonntag newspaper Sunday that Greece "cannot be a bottomless pit."
"That's why the Greeks must finally put a bottom in," he added. "Then we can put something in too."
Highlighting previous promises he said weren't kept, Schaeuble said "that is why Greece's promises aren't enough for us any more," according to the report.
Introducing the legislation Sunday — amid much interruption — socialist lawmaker Sofia Yiannaka said Parliament is called to approve painful measures with its back to the wall, adding that the intense pressure from Greece's EU partners to pass the measures was the result of delays in implementing already agreed reforms.
"The delays have our imprint. We should not blame foreigners for them," she said.
"We have finally found out that you have to pay back what you have borrowed ... We used to say 'poor state, but rich citizens' because we tolerated tax evasion for populist reasons. Is this the country we want?" Yiannaka added.
Conservative lawmaker Costis Hatzidakis — also arguing in favor — said the legislation contains harsh measures, but also has positive aspects: it imposes no new taxes, calls for a cut in the public health system's spending on medicines and imposes reform on the slow-moving court system.
Hatzidakis also criticized the Europeans' "wish to punish," and said that the Franco-German summit in Deauville in October 2010 totally undermined market confidence and sent bond spreads skyrocketing.
"I say this as a committed European ... Europe should review its policies, especially the issuing of a Eurobond," Hatzidakis said.
Communist Party spokesman Nikos Karathanassopoulos questioned who stood to gain from the legislation: "Not the working people but the (Greek bosses) and the local subsidiaries of multinationals," he said.
"The finance minister dared say it right here: we must be done today to do the bidding of the markets before they open tomorrow. We are working for the rentiers and the speculators. It is for them that you are wagging your finger at the people telling them 'You can't say no, you'll go bankrupt," Karathanassopoulos said.
"Well, who cares if the people will become poorer with either the euro or the drachma?"
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Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
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