Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou was offering to resign and make way for a national unity government, Reuters reported Wednesday.The agency quoted senior government sources as saying Papandreou set conditions, saying he would only resign if the new government agreed on measures for dealing with its debt crisis.
The political turmoil came as a general strike by unions crippled public services across the country and anti-austerity protests turned violent.
Papandreou's socialist government has been trying to push through a new program of tax hikes and spending cuts worth more than $39 billion Cdn. in order to get the next installment of bailout funds from the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.
The political opposition has opposed the plan. Media reports said Papandreou was expected to make a televised address later in the day.
Reports earlier Wednesday suggested Papandreou's government had launched power-sharing talks with the main opposition conservatives.
State television reported that opposition leader Antonis Samaras may be involved in forming a possible grand coalition government to deal with the crisis.
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Source: CBC news
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