The atmosphere within Greece’s governing party PASOK seems to be extremeley thick and Ministers come now and openly oppose the referendum or distance themselves after the fierce reactions by opposition parties and public. It looks as if PM Papandreou had not informed the cabinet on this decision, but just a few of his ministers and thus only about the vote of confidence. Currently I have the feeling, that Greece will not have a government by the end of the day, therefore I start the live blogging…. as of 2:52 pm.
1:30 pm Milena Apostolaki, long time PASOK MP and former Minister resigned an hour ago due to her disagreement on the referendum announced by Greek PM George Papandreou on Monday evening. Apostolaki goes as ‘independent deputy’.
PASOK falls into 152 seats in a parliament of 300, with the majority being 151 seats. Another MP of the ruling party had openly requested a ‘govenrment of national unity without Papandreou’. Will he resign as well?
Papandreou’s referendum triggered a storm of reactions not only within the opposition parties but as it looks also among his own deputies.
Papandreou’s government hangs on a very thin string. Should Papandreou fall under 151 parliament seats, he will have to declare early elections three days before asking vote of confidence and three months before the referendum. Even before the opposition proceeds to mass resignation…
Today’s political developments promise to be dramatic… And the signs for changes are here: Stock Exchange recording heavy losses, members of the Parliament resigning. We’ve seen that in other countries to…
Watch for updates or even a Live Blogging maybe? The decision is up to PASOK MPs…
Read also KTG-Article Greek Referendum: Opposition Demands Early Elections – Scenarios to Bring Down the Greek Government
2:05 pm PASOK MP Vaso Papandreou called for “national unity government” and ealry elections. Vaso Papandreou (not relative of PM’s family), a historical PASOK official and former minister called the President of the Republic to invite the leaders of all political parties, secure the bailout of Oct 26th, 2011, form a national unity government and after that early elections.
Informations from PASOK MPs claim that more deputies see no solution in the referendum.
*** I think, the government is finished….****
2:40 pm
Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos distanced himself from the referendum. through his assistants he lets know, that he was not informed about the referendum but about the vote of confidence.
Health Minister Andreas Loverdos allegedly said that the referendum is wrong and it will never take place.
Six members of PASOK (not MPs) called in an letter PM Papandreou to resign.
3:02 pm
Athens Stock Exchange is constantly at minus. At 2:52 pm local time, the Generla Index was at 754.79% and -6.65%.
3:10 pm
There are rumors that two more deputies are about to resign due to disagreement with the referendum.
The Cabinet meeting under Papandreou will take place at 6 pm.
3:55 pm
Eva Kaili submitted a letter to PM Papandreou stating that if the government insists on the referendum she will resign from PASOK parliamentary group. At the same time she asked ‘ national unity government with another PM.”
it’s interesting to see female PASOK MPs to rebel…
4:15 pm
Defense Minister decided to change all chiefs in the Greek Armed Forces. A similar move was mad in 2009 by conservative Nea Dimokratia before going to early elections.
4:35 pm
G20 calls Papandreou in Cannes. Greek PM will be in Cannes tomorrow Wednesday and will meet French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He will definitely need to give explanations as to why he put the referendum on the table. Question: Will he come back???
“Greece could face bankruptcy if the population ends up voting against the European Union’s latest financial aid package in a referendum”, said Eurogroup-Chief Jean-Claude Juncker the chairman of the Eurogroup countries said on Tuesday (Reuters).
No worries, Mr Juncker, there will be no referendum. And what do you think about ‘early elections?’
4:56 pm
Athens Stock Exchange down at -7.62%
International Markets do not feel better either – They dive…
Who could think that small Greece could ‘destroy’ the world economy?
6:28 pm
No changes or developments in the political situation of Greece most likely because of the cabinet meeting . We have to wait for it to conclude…
Greek media claim that more and more government ministers and deputies request ‘national unity government’ and resignation of the PM.
7:35 pm
Xara Kefalidou, another female PASOK deputy, asks in a letter ‘national unity government” and implies she might vote in favor during the confifence vote.
Taking into consideration that five (incl former minister Katseli) female PASOK MPs disagree with PM Papandreou, all I can say is: there must be something wrong with his sex-appeal…
7:45 pm
Washington correspondent of private SKAI TV reported that the IMF considers the postponement of the sixth aid tranche of 8 billion euro, expected to be released Mid-November. The government has liquidity to cover wages and pensions until … Mid November!
8:00 pm
Cabinet meeting hasn’t started yet. Papandreou fine tunning with his assistants. “Everything is open and we have no idea what will happen as all cards closed”, Greek media on prime time news.
8:45 pm
Tonia Antoniou, another female PASOK MP demands national unity government, says no to referendum and threatens not to vote for the confidence vote on Friday.
10:20 pm
Papandreou insists on referendum: “everything will be decided this Friday”, he said during the Cabinet meeting that started with 2 hours delay at 8 pm. On Friday the vote of confidence is planned to take place at midnight.
Four Ministers (Beglitis, Reppas, Papoutsis & Chryssochoidis) support the referendum.
11:00 pm
During the Cabinet meeting, Papandreou revealed how the referendum-question will look like: “YES or NO to Loan-Agreement, YES or NO to Euro Zone YES or NO to Euro” (ALPHA TV)
I vote NO, NO, YES lol -sorry but I’m stick here since the morning….
Live-Blogging concluded here – Papandreou concluded his sppech – He is adamant to hold the referendum –
See you tomorrow –
Thanks for reading and following “Keep Talking, Greece”!
Live blogging might be a good idea. Missed this anouncement completely. Thanks, but that’s why I am following KTG! 😉
Ok, referendum was just a smokescreen or ploy to jump into election mode, it seems… Cabinet meeting this afternoon?
self-destruction and blindness.
Live blogging… hm… I ‘ll be waiting for some fronts within PASOK to be buildt.
yes, cabinet meeting, (I think lol)
The fate of the European Union is sealed. What will be far-reaching effects of this crisis? What conclusions follow from biblical analysis? “And [the king of the north = Russia] will go back (to) his land with great wealth [1945]; and his heart (will be) against the holy covenant [state atheism]; and will act [this means activity in the international arena]; and turned back to his own land [1991-1993. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. Russian troops returned to their country]. At the appointed time [he] will return back.” (Daniel 11:28, 29a) Now Russia will return. It also means the economic and political earthquake; the disintegration of the European Union and NATO. Russian troops will return to many countries of the former Eastern Bloc. What will happen then? “And will enter into the south [Georgia], but it will not be as the former [1921] or as the latter [2008], for the dwellers of coastlands of Kittim [the West] will come against him, and he will be dejected, and will go back.” (Daniel 11:29b, 30a) It will be a nuclear war. (Revelation 6:4) As Jesus foretold, it will be “the beginning of birth pains”. (Mathew 24:7, 8) After this war, the nations will put hope in the world government. (Daniel 11:31; Matthew 24:15, 21, 22; Revelation 11:7; 13:1, 2, 7) Will again be a great disappointment.
Xafa is suggesting the IMF will not disburse the sixth tranche. And I think the IMF is not even allowed to, under its rules, when a country goes into elections…
According to ZeroHedge, another defection:
Greek Ruling Pasok Party Majority Falls to 151, Kerdos Reports – BBG
Did shit just hit the fan?
Interesting how stupid all these politicians can be. To not make this referendum is just another slap in the face of the people.
Papandreou: “Democracy”
People: “?”
Markets, Politicians: “Panic”
People: “Har, har, har”
Nice quote from Binyamin Appelbaum, The New York Times: “It’s hard to fathom why investors keep forgetting that Greece is a chaotic democracy. The Greeks invented chaotic democracy.” 😀
LOL.. Borrowed that one!!!
“Defense Minister decided to change all chiefs in the Greek Armed Forces. A similar move was mad in 2009 by conservative Nea Dimokratia before going to early elections.”
Why???
I am confused. Isn’t this, a referendum, what the people of Greece wanted? Why do some people think Papandreou was not fulfilling his responsibility, instead, passing it to the people?
On the other hand, it seems the elites are all lining up to support the bailout plan and to push Papandreou out.
People want elections, new government and renegotiation of bailout/loan agreements. The referendum question can be a ‘trap’ like “Want the loan agreement YES or NO bankruptcy, euro exit and return to drachma?”. People are angry because they wanted to be asked before Papandreou took the country into IMF arms. Now, two years later with no space for negotiation and the economic situation even worse and after he made all these agreements it looks as if he washes his hands and puts the responsibility on the people to decide :loan agreement or bankruptcy.
It’s … political and we don’t like it.
And if I may add… People also want those who made the damage punished, instead of those already struggling beeing hunted like wild animals..
Greece is a mess. Not sure if this is a just a few politicians. I think majority of the people participated in one way or another in this downfall.
This the same situation in the United States. It is not just the politicians (who bailed out the banks) and defied people’s will. No.
On the contrary, people voted the politicians into the office. People want to spend, want welfare, and work less (though not as much as the Greeks). And the rich want more wealth.
Welfare has turned into a sin!
It’s not Greece that is destroying the world economy. Greece is being looted. It is time for a new Solon. In Ancient Athens, the establishment of the world’s first democracy began with Solon’s drafting of a constitution which legislated a law known as “the shaking off of burdens”, the ending of Draconian laws of debt slavery.
Oh no, no … NO
Oh yes, great! Let us all vote against the euro-zone and for the euro. Or even better: FOR the euro-zone and AGAINST the Euro. Or, even better, do three dances like Zorba, mixed with one Molon Labe and do a Ritzos… Might even top that with a resounding Melina Mercouri, followed by a Papandreou and top that of with a militairy reshuffle…
Where is that darned video of… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJwr2JLjc4c I’m mad… and that’s a fact!
you’re definetely mad if you live here & read KTG lol
Madness……. This is SPARTA!!! LOL
(thank you so much for your work today. Bit of sanity in this crazy, beautiful country we are living in)
would it not be funny if when he meets sarkozy and merkel and co at cannes and they say to him this is madness he quotes the line from the movie. hope there is a camera :). all jokes aside i think this decisoin proves how slow the greek goverment is to react to peoples needs. if there was to be a referendum it should have happened 2 years ago. even 1 year ago. so im guessing the goverment works with a 2 year delay system. antonis if greece ever got sanity we would go crazy, it would be a vicious circle.
On reading your posts on different threads on KTG you appear to be a supporter of the EU why, explain why you’d rather undemocratic foreign bureaucrats (all unelected) remote from Greece, rule your life and country, and that is what the EU is all about, complete control of every aspect our lives. And from polls people want out of the euro/austerity programmes but not the EU, you can’t have it both ways. You seem to have an opportunity to get of out of this elitist, self-serving organisation yet you don’t want to, it truly baffles me. If you stay in things will ony get worse. History proves that ALL empires fall, and the EU has being slowly building their empire for 50yrs or more, the last decade their true colours have shone through, and now they’re blatant in their aims. Rome, British, USSR all fell, and so will the EU one day, the quicker the better IMO. Have a read of the ESM documents, truly insidious, they even give ALL those dealing with ESM work IMMUNITY from prosecution, that means politicans too, those doing the EUs bidding, doesn’t bode well for what they obviously have in mind for us does it. I don’t mean any disrespect by this post.
I was an EU supporter and now Iam a EU-sceptic, (if you read all my posts lol). The EU mutated into a monster that has to be ‘killed’ and reborn.
Ah well, history repeats itself always as a farce. What will happen is: the Greek populace will vote more than 50% nos and before the referendum can take effect the military will take over. The EU will, against all current beliefs, let a military-led Greece remain a member of the EU as long as the military promises to call early elections and to then hand back power to civilians. And of course this can take longer than expected but helps pushing through all those austerity measures while a military government can put more pressure on the EU to continue funding than any civilians could. Mark my words.
what military exactly? for example i used to be in the military, im guessing so was antonisX another reader of this blog, and so would any other male greek who reads this blog. in greece apart from the officers and NCOS almost every one else is a civilian doing national service. almost every single family has someone in the armed forces, a brother a son a cousin. if you were doing your national service and your officer ordered you to beat or persecute your neighbours would you do it? my prediction is that if there is a coup then a civil war is more probable than a junta. you havent grown up in a country where military rule is well within living memory i guess.
So, and I’m sort of glad to hear it, you think there’s no chance of another Papadopoulos nowadays (from G-Pap to L-Pap to M-Pap (“M” for “military”)? (Oh, and by the way – I know Greek families with no male in the service – the Jehova’s witnesses …)
how many are the families with no male in service?
actually i think the jehovas witnesses get drafted as I5 which means light duties and no combat training. so they ussually get posted in office duties or as quartemasters near their hometown. it might have changed but i thought people refusing to bear arms were automatically put in that category. but even if they dont have a family member even extended family they probably have a neighbour or friends.