Debate on censure motion against gov’t to begin in Parliament
MPs were to begin discussing a call by leftist SYRIZA for a motion of censure against the government on Friday ahead of a vote expected on Sunday night.
SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras submitted the censure motion in the House on Thursday following a police raid on the headquarters of the former state broadcaster, ERT, which dismissed staff had been occupying.
Amid the political upheaval, a meeting between Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras and envoys of Greece’s troika of foreign lenders was postponed, most likely until Sunday. According to sources, the troika officials asked for the extension to examine financial data given to them by Greek ministries.
None of the troika officials would comment on the political developments in Greece though sources indicated that they were surprised.
Ahead of what is expected to be a fierce debate in Parliament before the confidence vote, scheduled for midnight on Sunday, political parties were seeking to rally their MPs. SYRIZA’s political committee was to convene in order to discuss strategy before the vote. Sources indicated that SYRIZA believes the censure motion will put Prime Minister Antonis Samaras in a difficult position, obliging him to either
reiterate his coalition’s stated «red lines» opposite the troika or to admit that new austerity measures are necessary.
