mandate = the time that is authorized ? (if so, by whom?)

Plus, "the country has introduced in 30 years"? What has been introduced ?

Context:

In Greece, the government must push through unpopular wage cuts and public sector layoffs in exchange for more foreign aid, and then try to make more structural changes during its brief mandate than the country has introduced in 30 years.
More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/world/europe/greece-and-italy-ask-technocrats-to-find-solution.html?_r=1&hp