Greek lawmakers begin debating new austerity plans Monday that must pass this week if the debt-ridden country is to receive the critical next installment of loans from its international bailout plan and avoid default.
The deeply unpopular spending cuts and tax hikes in a midterm austerity bill and an additional implementation law that are scheduled for vote Wednesday and Thursday must be passed for the European Union and International Monetary Fund to release the next, euro12 billion batch of loans from the euro110 billion bailout.
