PM Samaras Says Avoiding More Austerity Top Priority

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said avoiding new austerity measures to fulfill targets in the country's international bailout is a top priority of his two-party coalition government.

"Our immediate priority is to return to recovery ahead of time, defeat unemployment, bring in investment, avoid new measures and create jobs for the youth," Samaras told ministers at their first cabinet meeting, as quoted by Reuters. "We have no choice but to succeed and we are determined to succeed."

Samaras reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, after the smallest party in the ruling coalition quit over the closure of state TV, leaving him with a small majority in parliament.