Greek PM Papandreou makes plea for more loans

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is urging the European Union to deliver on promises to provide more rescue loans after Greece approved a massive package of tax increases and spending cuts.

The tough austerity package has triggered riots and tested Mr Papandreou’s party’s unity.

He described votes to implement measures worth €28bn in savings and €50bn in privatisation as “patriotic decisions to save our country”.

Creditors from the EU and IMF who rescued Greece had set the new measures as a condition for paying out the next loan instalment this month and considering a second bailout programme.

Riots outside Parliament on the days of voting left more than 300 people injured.

Mr Papandreou was speaking at a conference near Athens.