Greek PM to present bill to address ‘humanitarian crisis’

The Greek prime minister says he will present a draft law to address the “humanitarian crisis” in the debt-ridden country.

"This is our foremost duty toward a society that has been severely tried for five years," Alexis Tsipras said in reference to the bill which is due to be presented on Monday.

"The bill will contain specific action to provide free power and food to thousands of families that need it, to make Greece once again a civilized country... So that no child is cold, no child faints from hunger or goes to school hungry," he added.

The premier vowed to facilitate the payment of tax debts for around 3.7 million Greeks and provide housing for 30,000 people.

Tsipras also reassured Greeks that his administration will not seek another bailout loan to cover the country’s massive debts.

"The bailout agreements are over, both in form and in essence," he stated, adding, “Some people are betting on a third bailout in July... but we will disappoint them."

His remarks came a day after fierce clashes erupted in the Greek capital city of Athens between riot police and hundreds of anti-austerity protesters, who were angry with Tsipras over what they called was reneging on his pre-election promises.

Some 450 far-left demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the government’s decision to extend Greece’s bailout deal under a new agreement with the country’s international creditors.

On February 20, a tentative agreement to extend Greece’s bailout program by four months was reached during preparatory talks between Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde, and Eurogroup Chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem.

However, Greece was asked to submit a list of proposed reforms to the European Union in order for the agreement to take effect. The reforms were later approved by Eurozone finance ministers.

Over the past weeks, Athens and the EU were at loggerheads over the country’s bailout loans.

The government of Tsipras, whose leftist Syriza party stormed to victory in January 25 elections, is still trying to renegotiate the terms of two bailout loans totaling €240 billion ($270 billion) it received in 2010 and 2014 in return for imposing harsh austerity measures.

During his electoral campaign, Tsipras vowed to reconsider the austerity measures that have caused mounting dissatisfaction in the country.

The measures have forced people to endure multiple tax increases, along with cuts in pension and salary, in exchange for bailout loans by the troika of lenders -- the European Commission, the IMF and the European Central Bank.

FNR/AS/MHB

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