ATHENS, Feb 25: The hard work for Greece's new anti-austerity government began Today after it secured an extension to its lifeline financial bailout with promises to implement ambitious reforms and stick to its financial commitments.
First though a number of parliaments in the 19-nation eurozone, not least Greece's and sceptical powerhouse Germany, need to approve the four-month breathing space greenlighted by finance ministers on Tuesday.
If they say no, Greece's 240-billion-euro ($270-billion) bailout programme expires on Saturday. This could spark national bankruptcy, a run on banks and even a chaotic exit from the eurozone with untold wider consequences.
Greece's new programme aims to tackle tax evasion and corruption and save money with an efficiency drive throughout government including eliminating politicians' perks and slashing red tape.     ?AFP