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Protest walk in hoards ahead of Greek reform vote
Thousands of protesters have rallied in Greece as parliament prepares to vote on a controversial tax and pensions overhaul
10 May 2016, 8:24am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
The reforms to be voted on Sunday would reduce Greece's highest pension pay-outs, merge several pension funds, increase contributions and raise taxes for those on medium and high incomes.
Greek police reported almost 15,000 people in Athens and Thessaloniki on Sunday protesting against the measures demanded by the EU and IMF, that the government might adopt ahead of a crunch meeting of Eurozone creditors in Brussels on Monday. The austerity measures are part of a package demanded by the EU and IMF in exchange for a €83.3bn bailout agreed last July, the third for the debt-laden country since 2010.
The reforms would mean some self-employed and salaried professionals would end up paying up to 55% of income tax if the measures were to be applied.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras defended the reforms on Friday, telling lawmakers from his left-wing Syriza party - which holds a slim majority with 153 seats in the 300-seat parliament - that they would spare the poorest.
