Main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras tabled a motion of censure against the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday afternoon. Tsipras tabled the motion “in defense of democracy, transparency and justice” one day after he received an official response regarding the confirmed wiretapping of six people – politicians …
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PM Mitsotakis ends abruptly debate on surveillance bill, leaves Plenary
“Whatever you had to say Mr. Tsipras, you have said it, the debate ends” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, packed his papers and left the Parliament Plenary where the debate on the surveillance bill was held. On a post with the video, SYRIZA-affiliated newspaper Avgi noted wryly:”The moment Mitsotakis runs …
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Wiretapping in Parliament: Long “debate” but no answers; opposition wants PMs’ resignation
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated on Friday that the “legal surveillance” of MEP and leader of socialist opposition party PASOK/KINAL Nikos Androulakis by the National Intelligence Service EYP was “a mistake.” Speaking at the Parliament debate on the wiretapping scandal, the PM added, however, that EYP’s operation is essential …
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Parliament to convey for a debate over wiretapping scandal at extraordinary session
Greece’s Parliament will resume operation earlier than scheduled and before end of summer break after main opposition party SYRIZA requested a plenary discussion on the wiretapping scandal that is shaking the conservative government of New Democracy and the Prime Minister. SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras submitted his request for a debated …
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EU kicks off debate on need for booster shots to travel
European Union governments kicked off a debate on Tuesday about how long vaccines are effective against Covid-19 and whether evidence of a booster dose will be required to maintain free travel across the bloc as cases spike. The executive European Commission is due to present a proposal this week to …
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President’s election, ministers’ responsibility top issues of Constitution revision
Debate for the revision of the Greek Constitution started in the plenary of the Parliament on Monday morning and it scheduled to last for five days. It is the fourth attempt to change the Greek Constitution that was formulated in 1975 when its postwar reform was adopted. The proposals will …
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Is the statue of US President Harry Truman “the most hated” in Athens?
Two days after the attempted vandalism on the statue of former US President Harry S Truman in downtown Athens, US Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt went to check whether the statue was still standing unharmed in its position. “The statue is a symbol of our alliance,” Pyatt said and had …
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EP Plenary debates case of Two Greek Soldiers in Turkish custody on Tue
The ongoing case of the two Greek soldiers in Turkish detention since March 1st will be debated in the Plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday. The debate comes after initiatives by the fractions of the Europe United Left and conservative European People’s Party. The debate will include …
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The “mother of all battles” in Greek Parliament as lawmakers will vote on Novartis inquiry
The mother of all political battles started at 9 o’ clock Wednesday morning in the plenary of the Greek Parliament. Lawmakers will have to vote and decide whether there is sufficient evidence to conduct preliminary inquiry and prosecute two former prime ministers and eights ex ministers allegedly involved in the …
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Greece’s Gov’t under fire for controversial arms deal with Saudi Arabia
Greece’s coalition government and especially Panos Kammenos, the leader of junior partner Independent Greeks and Defense Minister, faced a tough questioning in the Parliament on Monday over a failed deal to sell Greek army missiles to Saudi Arabia. Defense Minister Kammenos had secured a €66-million deal with Saudi Arabia to …
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Granting voting rights to diaspora Greeks back in the agenda
Greece’s main opposition party, conservative New Democracy has brought back to debate the right to vote for diaspora Greeks. On Monday, ND leader, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, resubmitted to Parliament his legislative proposal to give diaspora Greeks the right to vote in Greek elections. Complaining that his original proposal he submitted 18 …
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Tsipras stirs political landscape with article honoring PASOK founder, Andreas Papandreou
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stirred Greece’s political landscape on Sunday with a published article honoring the founder of socialist PASOK, Andreas Papandreou. The article appeared to the date PASOK celebrates the 43. anniversary of its foundation on 3. September 1974. In the article, Tsipras tracks PASOK’s rise from the political …
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Plenary of Greek parliament expels Golden Dawn from austerity bill debate
The Plenary of the Greek Parliament decided on Wednesday to expel the parliamentary group of extreme right-wing Golden Dawn after the incident two days ago. The Golden Dawn group will not be able to participate in the debates on the omnibus bill containing the new package of austerity measures 2018-2021. …
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Austerity package approved by Parliamentary Committee despite strong reactions
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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Grexit: SYRIZA MP shocks as he proposes Return to Drachma debate
SYRIZA lawmaker and former Alternate Minister of Culture Nikos Xydakis shocked the political world and the public opinion on Tuesday morning when he implied a possible Greek withdrawal form the eurozone. Xydakis said that speaking about Drachma is a taboo and that there should be no taboos when we speak …
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Pizza & Ice-Cream help through Greece’s Parliament debate on €5.4bn austerity package
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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Elections: debate Tsipras vs Meimarakis – Much Ado about Nothing
I have been trying since early morning to write a blog post about the debate between Greece’s two top political leaders, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras from left-wing SYRIZA and Vangelis Meimarakis from conservative New Democracy. My efforts run in vain. It has been impossible. For the simple reason that …
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Greece’s political leaders debate: the absolute boredom
It was supposed to be a mega political show: the leaders of seven political parties with representatives at the Greek Parliament should stand Question & Answer to journalists from seven television channels. The leaders would have the chance to unfold their positions about crucial issues that trouble the average Greek …
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EP President Martin Schulz: “Greeks get on my nerves”
It is not a joke, neither a fake news to troll the esteemed President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. The politician from the German Social-Democrats SPD said indeed that Greeks get on his nerves! Thursday evening, Martin Schulz was on a panel discussion at Maybrit Illner Political Show of …
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Greeks stunned to hear Cypriot MPs attacking EU and reject the bailout
Greeks are deeply stunned and green from envy, to hear the debate inside the Cypriot Parliament during the crucial voting on bank deposits tax. The eurogroup imposed measure for a Cyprus bailout that will be rejected by the Cypriots. Hardly had the discussion started in the Cypriot Parliament on the depositors’ tax …
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