Greek council approaching to pass purgation check

Fri Mar 5, 2010 9:12am EST Related News Greek PM says now expecting EU supportWed, Mar 3 2010Greek PM may turn to IMF if EU does not help-sourceWed, Mar 3 2010Greece decides on 4.8 bln extra measures- govt sourceWed, Mar 3 2010UPDATE 2-Greece faces more strikes as PM plans more cutsTue, Mar 2 2010Greece must do more to cut deficit - EU"s RehnMon, Mar 1 2010

ATHENS, March 5 (Reuters) - Greece"s parliament is expectedto pass a bill covering many of the government"s latestausterity measures into law later on Friday, with approvalalmost certain thanks to the governing party"s healthy majority.

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The "Economy Protection Bill" bill covers many of the 4.8billion euros ($6.5 billion) worth of budgetary measuresproposed by the government earlier this week as it grapples witha 300 billion euro debt pile.

Under emergency procedures, parliament is not even expectedto vote on the legislation given that it is proposed by PrimeMinister George Papandreou"s socialist PASOK party, which has acomfortable majority of 160 seats in the 300-seat parliament.Some measures such as a rise in fuel duty have already comeinto effect while a proposed pension freeze does not needparliamentary approval because it is controlled by ministers.One of the biggest elements, an increase in VAT sales tax, isdue to come into effect on March 15.

(Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas; writing by Paul Hoskins;editing by John Stonestreet)

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