AlHijjah 24, 1432, Nov 20, 2011, SPA -- Greece's new prime minister headed to Brussels on Sunday to fight for the aid Athens needs to avoid bankruptcy, even as one of his coalition backers refused to give a written pledge to support reforms and a public sector union geared up for strikes, according to Reuters. Lucas Papademos must convince the International Monetary Fund and the European Union to give Greece the 8 billion euros it needs to avoid a mid-December default, but the conservative New Democracy party has refused to meet their most basic demand. Representatives from the so-called "troika" of the EU, IMF and European Central Bank wrapped up initial talks with the conservative party and its partners, the Socialists of fallen Prime Minister George Papandreou and the far-right LAOS. But during the visit, New Democracy head Antonis Samaras refused to give a written guarantee that he would continue to do whatever it took to meet the terms of the bailout no matter who wins a vote tentatively set for Feb. 19. According to LAOS party head George Karatzaferis, who met the troika team on Sunday, the international lenders would not release Athens' sixth aid installment without the pledge. "I believe there is no wiggle room at all and we have to find an arrangement so that the money can be released in time to cover the country's pressing needs," Karatzaferis told reporters, adding that he would sign the pledge. Samaras told the troika officials on Sunday that a verbal vow not to oppose existing reforms should suffice. According to a source close to the troika, the team was to depart Athens on Sunday. It is expected to return later to discuss whether it will release an 8 billion euro tranche of aid, without which Athens will default in mid-December.
