[Workers at state hospitals shout slogans next to a police cordon during a demonstration against planned pension reforms outside the Finance ministry in Athens]Amid rallies and protests across the country, Greece's politicians were scheduled to launch discussions in parliament on reforms seeking to cut 1.8 billion euros from its annual pensions bill. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a leftist who swept to power a year ago, is walking a political tightrope to keep lenders onside to complete an overdue review of reforms, without alienating his electorate altogether. "This government will solve the pension issue, others merely paid lip service to it." Farmers who have been blocking motorways across the country sporadically for days in protest at plans to cut tax breaks for farming as well as pensions said they would escalate action and bring the country to a standstill unless Tsipras backed down.
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