Saturday May 18, 2013 Search
Weather | Athens
31o C
19o C
News
Business
Comment
Life
Sports
Community
Survival Guide
Greek Edition
Greek MPs start debate on new measures ahead of Wednesday's decisive vote

MPs are to begin debating on Tuesday the multi-bill containing all the structural reforms being demanded of Greece by its lenders as well as the 13.5 billion euros in spending cuts and tax hikes that the government will have to implement over the next two years.

Lawmakers are due to vote on the draft law late on Wednesday, ahead of a vote on the 2013 national budget late on Sunday.

Although it is expected that the government will get the majority it needs for the measures to pass, there are some tense moments ahead for Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.

Samaras suffered a scare on Monday when Justice Minister Antonis Roupakiotis, who is aligned with junior coalition partner Democratic Left (DIMAR), initially refused to sign the multi-bill.

Roupakiotis held lengthy talks with DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis before softening his stance and signing the legislations, which runs to more than 500 pages and was submitted to Parliament late on Monday.

Kouvelis, whose party is opposed to the labor reforms included in the bill, held a meeting of DIMAR’s central committee late on Monday to decide what the party’s position should be during the two upcoming votes.

The veteran leftist proposed that his party’s lawmakers vote “present” on Wednesday and in favor of the budget on Sunday. This would make it easier for the government to get a majority and would allow DIMAR to continue as part of the coalition as it would not have oppose legislation.

Kouvelis’s proposal received overwhelming support from members of the party’s central committee.

DIMAR has 16 MPs, so it would take a mutiny from several PASOK and New Democracy members for the measures to be rejected.

Two of PASOK’s 32 deputies have said they will not approve the package, the latest being Mimis Androulakis, who made his objections known on Monday.

New Democracy has 127 lawmakers, who Samaras spoke to on Sunday. So far, there are no indications if any of them will oppose the measures.

This means that in the best case scenario, the multi-bill will receive 157 votes of support on Wednesday, leaving only Sunday’s budget vote for Samaras to worry about ahead of a Eurogroup meeting on Monday, when Greece expects its next loan tranche of 31.5 billion euros to be approved.

ekathimerini.com , Tuesday November 6, 2012 (09:17)  
As visit to China concludes, Samaras offers incentives to invest in Greece
New Democracy, SYRIZA trade barbs over how to tackle Golden Dawn
Greece´s June target of 2,000 civil service redundancies may be flexible
Police believe second suspect in 1-million-euro Larissa robbery also prison escapee
FINANCE
SME interest in subsidies beats forecast
The Development Ministry announced on Friday that a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises have expressed interest in the European Union-funded program for their support. A total...
BUSINESS
Troika charters map of action for credit sector
The revised memorandum of cooperation between Athens and its international creditors does not allow for the participation of entities belonging to the broader public sector in the recapitali...
Inside Business
SOCCER
Atromitos beats PAOK, PAS downs Asteras
The start of the Super League playoffs for Greece’s second spot in next season’s Champions League has complicated things, as the teams that started as underdogs beat the favorites at home on...
SOCCER
AEK set for liquidation and third tier
AEK Athens said on Tuesday it was preparing to declare bankruptcy and seek relegation to the third division. AEK was relegated from the Super League for the first time in its 89-year history...
Inside Sports
COMMENTARY
We’re not out of the woods
The gradual arrival of summer usually brings a sense of well-being and this year it seems to confirm the belief that Greeks are beginning to change their stance toward their new state of bei...
EDITORIAL
A disgrace to Parliament
The events that unfolded in Parliament on Friday, when a Golden Dawn deputy was ejected for hurling insults at his peers, should be a cause for serious concern regarding the direction that t...
Inside Comment
SPONSORED LINK: FinanzNachrichten.de
 RECENT NEWS
1. As visit to China concludes, Samaras offers incentives to invest in Greece
2. New Democracy, SYRIZA trade barbs over how to tackle Golden Dawn
3. Greece´s June target of 2,000 civil service redundancies may be flexible
4. Police believe second suspect in 1-million-euro Larissa robbery also prison escapee
5. Ministry plans to increase university academics´ working hours
6. Greek lawyers start submitting case files electronically
more news
Today
This Week
1. A disgrace to Parliament
2. Muslim Association of Greece receives letter containing sick threats
3. We’re not out of the woods
4. Greek lawyers start submitting case files electronically
5. Man confesses to murder of woman in Porto Germeno
6. Daughter rapist confesses, is remanded in pretrial custody
Today
This Week
1. Olympiakos's Euroleague basketball win shows Greeks can 'reach the peak,' says President Papoulias
2. An encouraging sign for Greek universities
3. The vision thing
4. Golden Dawn MP ejected from Parl't after 'Heil Hitler' incident [UPDATE]
5. Do trophies mean anything after all?
6. Greek economy shrank by 5.3% in Q1 of 2013 as recession continues
   Find us ...
  ... on
Twitter
     ... on Facebook   
About us  |  Subscriptions  |  Advertising  |  Contact us  |  Athens Plus  |  International Herald Tribune  |  RSS
Copyright © 2013, H KAΘHMEPINH All Rights Reserved.