New Top Official's Resignation in Greece Over Disagreements on Bailout

Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Maritime Affairs and Tourism of Greece, Manos Manousakis, handed in his resignation Wednesday, citing disagreements with the government’s policy on the bailout deal with creditors, according to a document obtained by RIA Novosti.

ATHENS (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Greece’s Alternative Minister of Finance Nadia Valavani resigned after criticizing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ agreement on austerity measures with Western creditors.

“The government’s policy the way it was expressed in the bill ‘Urgent measures for negotiations and conclusion of the agreement with the ESM [European Stability Mechanism]’ makes it impossible for me to remain in the government,” Manousakis said in a letter to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis.

The Greek parliament has to ratify Athens' agreement with its European lenders until the end of Wednesday in order to unlock the new bailout program estimated at $95 billion over the next three years.

The bill, submitted to Parliament by the Greek Finance Ministry on Tuesday, includes a number of austerity measures such as unpopular pension reforms and tax hikes.

Some 30 lawmakers from the ruling Syriza party threatened to oppose the bill.