MOSCOW, November 30 (RIA Novosti) – The German Bundestag approved on Friday the latest rescue package for Greece amid growing fears over that country's eurozone future.
The measure passed with 473 votes in favor, 100 against and 11 abstentions.
Earlier this week, eurozone finance ministers and the IMF patched up their differences over the long-delayed bailout aid to debt-laden Greece, agreeing to unlock loan tranches totaling 43.7 billion euros ($56.4 billion).
The deal will help Greece reduce its state debt from about 190 percent of GDP in 2014 to 124 percent of GDP by 2020.
"Without our support, it would not only be the future of Greece at stake, but also the future of the eurozone as a whole," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said.
"Greece will only receive all this relief if it continues to implement its reform measures, one after another," Schaeuble said.
The new measures might cost Germany, Europe’s largest economy, up to 730 million ($950 million) next year, analysts say.
Greece has been receiving bailout loans since May 2010 and has so far received nearly 149 billion euros ($191 billion) of funds from Europe and the IMF, out of 240 billion euro promised in two bailout loans.
Greece has had to implement severe deficit reduction measures in order to comply with international lenders' requirements for the bailout loans, such as steep reductions in state sector employment, social welfare cuts and privatization. This has caused a wave of social discontent, triggering mass riots and general strikes.
