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Greece's deputy minister resigns over milk reform

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AP Athens
Greek's deputy agriculture minister has resigned over a proposal to lengthen the shelf life of milk but says he will vote for an omnibus reform bill to ensure more loans by Greece's creditors.

Minister Maximos Harakopoulos, who represents an agricultural constituency, has opposed the milk reform, one of several demanded by Greece's creditors, the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Cattle farmers fear the change will favor imports. Greek milk prices are among the highest in Europe.

The issue is one of several market reforms agreed upon the creditors that are in an omnibus bill which will be put voted on late Sunday. Harakopoulos said he would have voted against the milk reform if it had been in a separate bill.

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First Published: Mar 29 2014 | 8:40 PM IST

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