Greece passes reform bill, govt majority shrinks to two seats

A total of 152 lawmakers backed the bill, which incorporates into Greek law hundreds of reform measures Athens agreed earlier this month with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund after more than six months of tough negotiations.
The passage allows Athens to obtain loans to repay 9.3 billion euros of debt maturing in May, but left the fragile pro-bailout government with a new headache as three deputies refused to vote or voted against key articles in the bill.
"It was a tough but crucial bill for the country's future; the lawmakers stood up to the challenge,"... read more