Samaras, Venizelos Now Oppose Austerity

ATHENS - After jointly backing harsh austerity measures demanded by international lenders in return for rescue loans, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the New Democracy Conservative leader, and his coalition partner, PASOK Socialist chief Evangelos Venizelos said they won?t any more. The Troika of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB) said if Greece needs more aid that it would come with conditions of additional reforms, such as the pay cuts, tax hikes, slashed pensions and worker firings that have decimated society in an attempt to save it. The Troika sees a potential two billion euros ($2.76 billion) budget gap looming despite ongoing loans that will total $325 billion over nearly four years before they run out.

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