MPs pass tough bailout measures

It also gave finance ministers more power to control spending by other ministries and councils.

MPs voted 166-123 in favour of the measures, which were provisionally put in place late last year so Greece could secure emergency loans.

Democratic Left, the junior partner in the conservative-led coalition, voted in vain against measures to cut benefits for the long-term unemployed and pensioners under age 65.

European lenders approved instalments worth €49 billion (£41bn) last month, with €34bn (£28bn) paid immediately and the rest to be transferred by March.

But many of the conditions would have expired in 40 days if MPs hadn't made them permanent.

Greece's economy is being financed by loans from other eurozone members and the International Monetary Fund, granted on condition of huge spending cuts.

But unemployment and poverty rates have soared as Greece hacked away.

Deputy Finance Minister Christos Staikouras claimed that the tougher rules would spare ordinary Greeks more austerity.

But opposition parties argued that the government was merely rubber-stamping EU demands and rushing them through parliament to limit dissent and avoid a thorough debate.

"You come here and pass these measures like we're a factory, a washing machine of sin to mortgage the future of this country," said Panagiotis Lafazanis, parliamentary spokesman for Syriza, the main opposition party.