In an unusually propitious scene from the ongoing Greek tragedy, lawmakers approved the country’s 2013 austerity budget. Greece hopes the move will persuade international creditors to unblock a massive rescue loan installment, the only thing standing between it and bankruptcy. Finance ministers from the 17 eurozone countries met in Brussels following the news, but German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said they won’t be rushed to approve the loan. The decision comes on the heels of a separate bill, passed by a smaller majority Thursday, which will implement deep-spending cuts over the next two years.
