German lawmakers to vote on Greece bailout deal
The German parliament is preparing to vote on a new bailout package recently approved by European leaders.
During a special session of parliament on Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on lawmakers to vote in favor of handing Athens 85 billion euros ($93 billion).
Merkel told the parliament that lawmakers faced "a decision for a strong Europe and a strong eurozone.”
"We would be grossly negligent, even irresponsible, if we did not at least try this road," she added.
The measure is expected to receive a majority of votes during the session.
The vote is crucial as Germany is the main creditor of Greece and its approval is needed in order for the new bailout package to be given to Athens and for the country to avoid a financial collapse.
Some reports say a number of German lawmakers are against lending the amount to Greece.
France and Finland have already expressed support for the bailout.
In exchange for imposing tough austerity measures, Athens had already received two bailout packages in 2010 and 2012, worth a total of 240 billion euros (272 billion dollars), from the so-called troika of international lenders - the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank - following the 2009 economic crisis.
On Wednesday, the Greek parliament approved a sweeping and unpopular set of reforms demanded by creditors in return for the new bailout package.
Last month, Greece defaulted on a two-billion-euro (USD three-billion) debt payment to the IMF and was at risk of being forced to leave the eurozone if it had failed to reach a deal with its creditors over the country's debt crisis.
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