Greece to swear in unity cabinet and new PM

Greece's new coalition cabinet and Prime Minister-designate Lucas Papademos are due to be formally sworn in, after a week of political turmoil.

The fresh government's most difficult task is to approve Greece's recent EU bailout package and protect bankruptcy.

Mr Papademos is not elected MP, has said his first priority will be to keep Greece in the eurozone.

He is planed with putting the debt-laden country back on track before elections, probably in February.

Outgoing Prime Minister George Papandreou was asked not to interfere after a disastrous call for a referendum on the eurozone rescue package.

The referendum plan was rejected within a some days, but not before sparking a financial and political crisis that threatened to engulf the eurozone.

Lucas Papademos named as new Greek prime minister

Former European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos has been named as Greece's new prime minister, following days of negotiations.

Mr Papademos, 64, said he was taking over at a "critical time" for Greece.

Leaders of the three big parties establishing up a new government of national unity had been meeting the Greek president to try to reach a deal.

Greeks will hope the news provides the stability to get them through their debt crisis, correspondents say.

Mr Papademos, he is not a member of parliament, will lead an interim government until elections can take place in February coming year.

The govermment's main purpose will to ensure debt-laden Greece gets its latest bailout payment, by sanctioning a new 130bn euro ($177bn; £111bn) international rescue deal from eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund.

"The president, after recommendations by political parties who attended the meeting, has instructed Lucas Papademos to form a new government," the president's office said in a statement.

The new government would be sworn in at 12:00 GMT on Friday, a presidency official said.