Samaras’ junior coalition government partner Democratic Left executive committee decided on Thursday evening to reject the labour rights ‘reforms’ demanded by the Troika. In a statement after the meeting DemLeft said:
“Excecutive committee of DemLeft unanimously insist on its decisions to reject the Troika-proposals for the labour rights. Addressing our European partners, we call them to withdraw the Troika demands that overthrow rights and conquests of the labourers of our homeland.”
News from Brussels claim that the Euro Working Group meeting was scheduled for Friday will be postponed until next Monday to give Greek government time to agree on the full austerity package and to Troika to proceed with its Greek report.
Reportedly the EWG meeting was postponed after Greece’s representative informed his partners that there was disagreement among Samaras coalition government on the labour rights issue.
The same news claim that there might be an extraordinary eurogroup meeting on Greece on upcoming Wednesday.
Meanwhile a new problem rises among Samaras’ partners on the privatizations issue. PASOK and DEMLeft MPS want that every privatization decision is approved separately by the Parliament.
Earlier on Thursday, Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras had said Greek government will present a multi-billion-euro budget cutting plan to euro-zone officials [of EWG] and that despite its junior coalition partner΄s refusal to back any labor reforms, it will proceed with the required cuts.
“This is the only thorn that remains to us having an agreement…I hope that they will eventually agree,” Mr. Stournaras said, adding it was highly unlikely the country΄s lenders would accept further compromises on their bailout loan requirements.
He said the Democratic Left should approve the austerity package as soon as possible but that–despite what the party finally decides–the next batch of austerity measures will be presented to parliament some time next week.
Stournaras’ statements angered DemLeft.
Democratic Left rejects the Troika imposed Labour Rights “Reforms” but at the same time it does not want to bring Samaras’ government into fall. Even though DemLeft (17 seats) leaves the coalition government and Nea Dimocratia and PASOK still have enough MPs together (160) to support austerity bills and pass them through the Parliament.
However a DemLeft withdrawal from the government or just the refuse to vote could “inspire” some PASOK MPs to do so as well.
Kouvelis is the snake in the grass. He knows very well that his no vote will not have any effect on the passing of the package. He also knows there is some serious uneasy in PASOK about the way things are going, and how Venizelos is handling things (or not, depending on how you look at it).
It would seem that Kouvelis is thinking that this could very well be the demise of the once mighty PASOK, and Dem Left is the natural home for the remaining PASOK MPs to go to in order to save face. If he can get even half of them to stand with him, it will not only bring down the government, it will also ensure PASOK being very close to not getting the necessary vote to be represented in the next parliament. I suspect that is very much on his mind. By bringing down PASOK he could very well be eying a bronze medal in the next election round and possibly a go at government again in coalition with SYRIZA
the package can pass very well without Kouvelis’ vote. it needs only 151 votes.
indeed what I said. I don’t think this has anything to do with killing the package, but everything to do with dealing a serious blow to PASOK.