(11 Feb 2012) AP TELEVISION 1. Wide of former deputy foreign minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, who resigned over austerity cuts, arriving at parliament 2. Environment minister George Papaconstantinou arriving at parliament 3. Wide of Socialist MP Louka Katseli arriving at parliament 4. Parliament president Filippos Petsanikos arriving 5. Public sector reform minister Demetris Reppas arriving 6. Socialist MP Apostolos Kaklamanis arriving 7. Education minister Anna Diamantopoulou arriving 8. Culture minister Pavlos Geroulanos arriving 9. Labour minister Giorgos Koutroumanis arriving POOL 10. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Antonis Samaras, New Democracy party leader: (SOUNDBITE INCLUDES SHOTS OF MPS LISTENING) "The basic thing for us now, dear colleagues, is to get over this hurdle without causing greater damage and without preventing the passage of the new loan agreement, with which we can start moving from chaos to stability." 11. Pan of members of parliament 12. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Antonis Samaras, New Democracy party leader: (SOUNDBITE INCLUDES SHOTS OF MPS LISTENING) "There are of course some who fear elections now, but Greece has never had a greater need for elections as it does now. Some fear they will lose the elections but we know that only with elections can political representation and Greece's bargaining position be strengthened. Others fear that if elections were to take place today, the extreme (parties) would be strengthened. But they don't understand that the great danger is for society to explode if no elections take place, if the same situation continues without elections." 13. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Antonis Samaras, New Democracy party leader: (SOUNDBITE BEGINS ON PAN OF MPs) "Because we keep our word, when the bond swap is completed, we will demand an immediate dissolution of parliament and elections as we had promised." 14. Wide of Samaras addressing parliament (applause) STORYLINE The leaders of the two parties backing Greece's coalition government called on their deputies on Saturday to back legislation that calls for harsh new austerity measures - essential if Greece is to get a new bailout deal worth 130 (b) billion euros (171.6 (b) billion US dollars) and stave off bankruptcy. Ministers and lawmakers from former Prime Minister George Papandreou's socialist PASOK party arrived at parliament on Saturday morning to discuss the measures with their leader. Conservative leader Antonis Samaras also addressed his MPs in parliament. Both Papandreou and Samaras told their respective parliamentary groups that there is no real alternative to voting for the legislation, except pushing Greece to bankruptcy. Samaras said Greece's priority was to "get over this hurdle without causing greater damage and without preventing the passage of the new loan agreement, with which we can start moving from chaos to stability." Samaras had opposed the initial bailout, worth 110 (b) billion, that Papandreou, as Prime Minister, had negotiated in May 2010, saying the measures it contained would worsen the crises and result in a deep recession. He now says he feels vindicated, but that conditions have worsened so much lately, due to the bad handling of the crisis by the previous socialist government, that social cohesion is at stake. Samaras insisted the country must hold a snap election once the agreement is in place and the debt swap with private creditors is completed. "Only with elections can political representation and Greece's bargaining position be strengthened," he said. He added that he would not agree to the extension of the mandate of the coalition government. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/8661d100042619094542bb5c038d6c0c

• published: 30 Jul 2015
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