Cyprus overwhelmingly rejected a proposed levy1 on bank deposits as a condition for a European bailout on Tuesday, throwing international efforts to rescue the latest casualty of the euro zone debt crisis into disarray2.
塞浦路斯议会周二以压倒性多数票拒绝了以征收存款税为附加条件的欧元区援助计划,国际社会为拯救塞浦路斯这个欧债危机最新“遇难国”所付出的努力也陷入泥淖。
The vote in the tiny legislature was a
stunning3 setback4 for the 17-nation currency
bloc5, angering European partners and raising fears the crisis could spread; lawmakers in Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy have all accepted austerity measures over the last three years to secure European aid.
With hundreds of demonstrators outside the parliament chanting "They're drinking our blood", the ruling party
abstained6 and 36 other lawmakers voted unanimously to reject the bill, bringing the
Mediterranean7 island, one of the smallest European states, to the
brink8 of financial meltdown.
Finance Minister Michael Sarris had already headed to Moscow, amid
speculation9 Russia could offer assistance given the high level of Russian deposits in Cypriot banks. President Nicos Anastasiades, barely a month in office,
spoke10 by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the vote.
Anastasiades was due to meet party leaders at 9 am on Wednesday to explore a way forward.
"The voice of the people was heard," 65-year-old
pensioner11 Andreas Miltiadou said among a crowd of demonstrators
jubilant(欢呼的) after the vote.
EU countries had warned they would
withhold12 10 billion euros ($13 billion) in bailout loans unless depositors in Cyprus, including small savers, shared the cost of the rescue, an
unprecedented13 step in the
stubborn(顽固的) debt crisis.
The European Central Bank had threatened to end emergency lending assistance for teetering Cypriot banks, which were hard hit by the financial crisis in neighboring Greece.
The island's partners barely disguised their anger.
Euro zone paymaster Germany, facing an election this year and increasingly
frustrated14 with the mounting cost of
bailing15 out its southern partners, said Cyprus had no one to blame but itself for the gravity of the situation.