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Greece heals wounds after riots during crucial vote on rescue deal
Last Updated(Beijing Time):2012-02-14 04:16

In the aftermath of riots across central Athens early Monday during a crucial parliamentary vote on an austerity rescue deal, authorities started healing the wounds caused in buildings and the political landscape.

Municipality crews swept tons of shattered glass and broken marbles from the streets, as fire fighters were extinguishing the last flames in dozens of buildings burned down by anarchists. Amongst them was a historical block built in the late 19th century that housed a cinema and stores, at a close distance from the parliament.

According to the latest data by local authorities, up to 93 buildings were damaged. The Athens Chamber of Trade and Commerce estimated that the cost of material damages in over 170 stores from fires and looting run up to dozens of millions of euros.

Greek police announced on Monday that 106 members of anti-riot police were eventually injured in clashes with hooded youth that continued for some six hours and 92 detentions of suspects were made. Local media, citing hospital sources, added some 60 citizens to the injured.

The clashes started outside the parliament on Sunday evening, at the end of a large demonstration by peaceful protesters against the new round of steep austerity measures introduced in exchange for a fresh bailout package by the European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) lenders.

Debt-ridden and recession-hit Greece needs the 130-billion euro (171.43 billion U.S. dollars) funds before March 20 to cover debt repayments of a total 14.5 billion euros (19.12 billion dollars). Otherwise, the country could end up in a chaotic bankruptcy that could rock the eurozone, Greek and European officials, along with analysts, warned.

In a sign of the difficulties to actually implement the necessary reforms in debt-laden Greece, 45 deputies from the parties supporting the interim coalition government of Lucas Papademos voted against the tough deal and turned independent inside the assembly.

They sided with protesters who argue that more cuts on salaries and layoffs from the public sector will worsen recession. A total of 199 lawmakers ratified the bill in the 300-member-strong chamber.

It was the biggest "revolt" within the assembly in years and fuelled scenarios of rifts in traditional parties, the creation of new ones and mounting pressure on the administration to change course and call snap general elections.

"The message from Monday's vote was that Greece wishes and will remain member of the eurozone and will implement the bailout deal," Greek government spokesman Pantelis Kapsis told local media on Monday.

"The road to polls opens after April, after the current administrations' work will be over," he added. The transitional administration was formed in November to push through the new loan agreement and the bond swaps deal to ease the debt burden, before leading the country to elections.

Kapsis did not reveal the prime minister's plans over the expected cabinet reshuffle, following the resignation of six ministers over the past few days over the deal.

According to local media reports, Papademos could proceed to the shake-up as soon as Monday night, forming a smaller team of technocrats, like Mario Monti in neighboring Italy.

Source:Xinhua 
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