Greek PM warns against threat to bailout The Greek prime minister has warned lawmakers against undermining reforms agreed with international lenders in an attempt to boost their popularity as the country heads for elections in early May. Lucas Papademos, the former central banker serving as interim premier, has cracked down after deputies proposed scores of amendments to key spending legislation due to be rushed through parliament in the next 10 days. Lawmakers from the governing coalition of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) and the conservative New Democracy party have overwhelmingly backed a tough fiscal and structural reform package to ensure that Greece can secure a second €174bn bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund. But with both parties performing poorly in opinion polls, deputies have tried to exploit a loophole that allows amendments to be adopted and voted through without first being approved by the prime minister and cabinet. Politicians" efforts to circumvent budget strictures reflect their increasing desperation to appease Greek voters facing another four years of austerity, including further wage and pension cuts, higher property taxes and more costly healthcare. Opinion polls suggest that while New Democracy is still ahead with about 20-25 per cent support, this has fallen from 30-33 per cent last month. Pasok is stable at about 11-13 per cent after electing the former finance minister Evangelos Venizelos as its new leader. The two parties are expected to resume their coalition after the election, provided they can jointly capture more than half the vote. The polls also show increasing fragmentation, with rightwing splinter parties making gains. "Now that we are in a pre-electoral period, deputies are pasting in amendments designed to satisfy their clientele of businesspeople and personal supporters," commented the Athens newspaper Proto Thema. Officials in the premier's office have already stamped on a proposed amendment to a law liberalising taxi-driving - a reform long sought by tour operators and travel agents. The bill passed this week, seven months later than scheduled. Another amendment, backed by several leftwing deputies, called for easier terms for small borrowers to repay overdue bank loans. A senior adviser to Mr Papademos warned cabinet ministers against making changes that could raise doubts among international creditors about Greece's commitment to the terms of the latest bailout. "The premier must be fully briefed on the content of a proposed amendment, and the reasons why it should be passed," he said in a letter circulated to ministers.