‘The country will be sold for a piece of bread’

THE Greek parliament approved an austerity deal yesterday but the country was wracked with violent protests. It was reported that 38 police and 51 protesters had been injured.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had put up a brave front.

“We must avoid the country’s collapse with every effort,” he said before the vote. “Outside, many are protesting. Some are truly suffering, others are losing their privileges. It is their democratic right. But they and no one else must never suffer the consequences… of a collapse. We must do everything so that there is no freeze in payments.”