May 16, 2017
Greece, Politics
Lawmakers from the coalition SYRIZA-ANEL government approved in principle the new austerity package 2018-2021. The package was debated at the relevant parliamentary committee before coming for a roll-call vote in the Plenary on Thursday evening, May 18 2017. The measures of the competent parliamentary committees were approved in principle with …
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May 22, 2016
Politics
Debate in the Greek Parliament is continuing at 7:30 p.m. when the voting ought to have taken place one and a half hour earlier. But that’s usual in such debates that are not debates but rather the government defending the austerity measures and the opposition lashing out at the government, …
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November 8, 2012
Economy
The additional austerity package adopted by the Greek Parliament on Wednesday includes a provision that will force ship owners, long accused of enjoying lavish fiscal privileges, to pony up at least 140 million euros. The provision initially called for a “voluntary” contribution to the state coffers, but Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras withdrew …
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November 8, 2012
Politics
With 153 “Yes” votes the austerity package bill was adopted by the Greek Parliament on Wednesday night. The voting brought some casualties for Samaras coalition government as the bill received even less votes than originally thought. MPs from junior coalition partner Democratic Left voted “present”, following the party line except, 2 MPs who …
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November 7, 2012
Politics
Unprecedented! Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras withdrew the provision after the Parliament staff went on strike. Stournaras told the plenary that he withdraw the provision but that he will bring it up again on a later point as the strike threatened to boycott the austerity bill voting procedure. MPs reacted shouting …
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November 7, 2012
Economy, Society
To work or not to work? To work in Greece or to migrate abroad? This dilemma is something that thousands of Greece’s youth below 25 years old will have to answer before starting their professional life in the debt-ridden country. But even for those above 25 who get a job …
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November 7, 2012
Economy, Politics
While the Greek Parliament claims the austerity measures are compatible with the Constitution, the country’s Supreme Administrative Court decided they were ‘unconstitutional’ – at least some of them. The pleanary of Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) unanimously ruled that the new cuts in judges’ and prosecutors’ wages were against the Greek Constitution. Under …
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November 7, 2012
Politics
The crucial debate over the austerity measures package started with turmoil and a coup-like situation in the Greek Parliament on Wednesday morning after main opposition party SYRIZA and Independent Greeks challenged the compatibility of the bill with the Greek Constitution. SYRIZA and INDEPGREEKS submitted two motions against the bill saying …
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November 7, 2012
Economy, Society
In a last minute action and after pressure from coalition partner PASOK, Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras exempted from pension cuts people with 80% disability. MP Koukoulopoulos had threatened to down vote the austerity package bill, should there be no exception for the heavily disabled. Stournaras said that the 30 million …
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November 7, 2012
Politics
With votes from Nea Dimokratia and PASOK the austerity package has been approved by the parliamentary committee on Tuesday evening. Junior coalition government partner Democratic Left voted “present”, while SYRIZA, Independent Greeks, Golden Dawn and KKE voted against it. The debate on the austerity package of 13.5 billion euro will …
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November 1, 2012
Economy, Politics
Greece’s Court of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο) ruled as “unconsitutional” the upcoming cuts in pensons, the scraping of Christmas, Eastern and Vacation bonuses, the decreases to jobless allowances for seasonal workers, the raising of age criteria for the social benefit of EKAS and thus for all those with low income. The 30 …
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November 1, 2012
Politics
Coalition government party PASOK suffered serious injuries on Wednesday during the voting for the privatizations bill. Party leader Evangelos Venizelos saw some 15 MPs revolting against the party line. In fact he saw the rebellion happening from a distance, as he himself did not bother to attend a voting that …
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October 24, 2012
Economy, Society
Samaras’ government is in dramatic negotiations with the Troika over the so-called “Labour Reforms” after two of the three coalition government partners rejected the Troika demands for a total overthrow of Labour Rights. A disagreement that threatens the cohesion among the government partners. According to latest information from state broadcaster NET TV, …
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September 27, 2012
Economy
After three hours of consultations, the three political leaders of Greece coalition government managed to reach a basic agreement on the 11-billion-euro cuts-package and the additional 3-billion-euro tax tsunami. Short after the meeting, Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras told the media, that the heads of the three coalition government parties had reached a “basic …
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September 27, 2012
Economy
Greek coalition government partners Antonis Samaras, Evangelos Venizelos and Fotis Kouvelis meet on Thursday morning to finalize the austerity package of 11.5+2 billion euro for the years 2013-2014. While the three leaders have agreed on main cuts there are some measures that meet the objection of Venizelos (PASOK) and Kouvelis (Democratic Left), …
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September 21, 2012
Economy
Greece’s economy, debts, loans and inability to take the problems under control spark fierce discussions not only among the locals like taxpayers and tax-evaders, unionists and unemployed, employees and pensioners, representatives of political parties. Equally involved in the dispute are the country’s international and European creditors, taxpayers around Europe and economists. However …
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September 19, 2012
Economy
It looks as if the total amount of uncollected taxes, included the Value Added Tax, in 2009, is more than twice the amount of austerity measures Greece needs to take in order to receive the next trance. That was the result of an academic research published a week ago. € …
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August 24, 2012
Economy, Editor
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is holding a face-to-face meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Greek PM is seeking to extent Greece’s time to meet bailout-imposed fiscal targets. Samaras needs two more years. For the economy to breath, as he said recently. then the recession has hit the debt-ridden …
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August 8, 2012
Economy, Politics
Greece’s three-party coalition government faces a new test. The cohesion of Samara’s government is under strong pressure due to some measures essential to reach the volume of 11.5 billion euro spending cuts. Precisely the issue of “labour reserve” in the public sector threatens to bring Greek government into falling apart. Two junior government …
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July 30, 2012
Economy, Politics
Local thermometers have gone red. Not only in terms of temperatures (40-41°C today) but also in political-economical. Greece’s coalition government is in the middle of a race with an award of 33 billion euro waving at the end of the road. The country’s lender’s are standing at the finish with …
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