The Parliament of Greece has approved a bill reforming the debt-ridden country’s pension and tax systems. 
The bill, introduced as part of the requirements the country must meet under its third international bailout, is set to increase social security and pension contributions, and raise taxes for most people. 
The bill was approved by the 153 lawmakers of the ruling Syriza/Independent Greeks government coalition in an early Monday vote. All opposition parties in the 300-member Parliament voted against it. 
The vote took place amid a crippling general strike and protests that briefly turned violent Sunday. 
The government now expects that its creditors, which include the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the European Stability Mechanism and the International Monetary Fund, will move to lighten its debt burden, and that this will dominate the agenda of a meeting of the EU finance ministers on Monday. 
The latest vote will not be the last for the Greek government. A new bill is already being prepared, calling for higher taxes on a range of products, from tobacco to beer to broadband Internet connections. This bill is expected to pass later in the month. 
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his ministers defended their plans, saying things were worse when the opposition was ruling the country, and that taxes were better than spending cuts, and that they were trying to root out corruption and entanglements with powerful business interests. 
But the bill was condemned by all major unions and professional associations. The latter, including engineers and doctors, warned that lawmakers who are also members of those associations will face disciplinary action and possible expulsion if they voted for the bill. 
A peaceful protest rally outside Parliament, in which over 10,000 people, mostly pro-communist unionists, attended, was disrupted Sunday evening by a handful of anarchists. 
The anarchists attacked riot police with firebombs and other projectiles. The police responded with stun grenades and blasts of tear gas that drove away everyone assembled outside Parliament. Police detained nine people in connection with the clashes.

Source: QNA