Greece crisis: Greek MPs face second austerity vote

Greece crisis: Greek MPs face second austerity vote

Clashes in Athens continue overnight with tear gas and smoke from fires filling the city centre

Greece's parliament is to hold a second vote on its austerity programme, which it needs to implement to secure the country further financial support.

The vote is about putting into practice the tax hikes, pay cuts, privatisations and public sector redundancies approved in principle on Wednesday.

The vote was a retreat from the "grave scenario of default", the EU said.

Public reaction has been very hostile, and the debate has been accompanied by strikes and violent protest.

Clashes continued on Syntagma (Constitution) Square outside parliament overnight, as police fired tear gas at stone-throwing youths.

Protesters set fire to a post office in the finance ministry building, on another part of the square.

But Athenian street cleaning crews have now come out in force removing debris from two days of battles in the square, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.

Police have restricted access to the city centre to prevent demonstrators from obstructing members of parliament heading to vote on the new law.

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