Greek deputy minister quits over austerity cutsFebruary 10, 2012 - 19:50 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Greek Deputy Employment Minister Yiannis Koutsoukos has resigned over drastic new austerity measures agreed by the coalition government, AMNA reported. In a letter to the government, the 59-year-old former trade union leader said he would not support the "painful" measures that would hurt working Greeks. He did not say whether he would back the new austerity reforms in parliament. Koutsoukos is the first casualty in Prime Minister Lucas Papademos' three-month-old coalition government, and walkout is a major sign of trouble in the majority Socialist party which has traditionally strong links with unions. Koutsoukos is a former leader of the civil servants union ADEDY, which is planning various protests and rallies outside parliament at the weekend, when the new austerity program is set to be voted. Pasok MP Christos Protopapas, a former deputy employment minister and leader of the GSEE union, also announced that he would not vote for provisions to slash the minimum wage. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents. The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. |