Lawmakers in Greece began on Thursday debating a third international bailout, ahead of a vote on the 85-billion-euro (USD 94.8-billion) rescue package, on which eurozone finance ministers are to give their verdict on Friday.
"The timetable is tight so we are forced into this emergency procedure," Gerasimos Balaouras, a lawmaker from the leftist Syriza party of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said, kickstarting the debate in parliamentary committees.
Balaouras reminded parliamentarians that Athens had to repay 3.4 billion euros owed to the European Central Bank by August 20 <g data-gr-id="15">–</g> and that by adopting the European-International Monetary Fund bailout hoped to unlock default-saving funds on time.