Greek parliament narrowly approved today a new 17.3 billion U.S. dollars austerity package aiming to clear the way for the release of fresh bailout loans to the debt-laden country. Deputy Speaker Thanassis Nakos said the vote will ensure Greek's position within the eurozone. The omnibus bill, containing the third set of harsh spending cuts and reforms in two years, was presented as a prerequisite for the disbursement in coming weeks of the next 31.5-billion-euro tranche from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund creditors who have been keeping Greece afloat since 2010. Demonstrators shouted that the additional cuts on wages, pensions and benefits, tax hikes, mass dismissals in the public sector and reforms in the labour market which facilitates lay offs condemn Greek society to prolonged recession and poverty.