Thursday, July 16, 2015

Greek parliament approves tough bailout plan amid anti-austerity unrest

Greece’s parliament early on Thursday strongly approved a bill of tough reforms demanded by the country’s creditors in return for a new multi-billion euro bailout package, amid political dissent and violent protests in opposition to the plan.

A final count showed 229 lawmakers voted in favour of the measures, with 64 voting against and six abstaining.

The ruling radical Syriza party passed the bill thanks to support from pro-European opposition parties as a large group of government lawmakers – including former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, the head of parliament Zoe Constantopoulou and Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis – voted against the measures.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has nearly split his party in the process, insisted he did not agree with the bulk of the draconian deal, that demands tax hikes, a pensions overhaul and privatisation pledges.

But he said the country had no other choice if it wanted to stay in the euro.

“We will not back down from our pledge to fight to the end for the right of the working people,” he told the chamber ahead of the vote.

“There is no other option but for all of us to share the weight of this responsibility,” Tsipras said.

Unrest

Greek anti-establishment protesters threw stones and dozens of petrol bombs at police in front of parliament before the vote, in some of the most serious violence in more than two years.

Police responded with tear gas, sending hundreds of people fleeing in central Syntagma Square.

Garbage cans and a vehicle belonging to a television crew were also set on fire. The clashes were brief and calm largely returned to the square, with a few hundred protesters staying on under heavy police surveillance.

Earlier, thousands took to the streets of Athens in a series of otherwise peaceful marches during the day to protest against the new deal.

Once a common sight in protest marches in Greece, clashes with police had been very rare since the leftist Syriza party came to power in January. About 30 people were detained, a police source said.

Just before the clashes, protesters marched waving banners reading “Cancel the bailout!” and “No to the policies of the EU, the ECB and the IMF.”
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)

  france24.com
16/7/15
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3 comments:

  1. Ο κυβερνητικός εκπρόσωπος της Ελλάδας Γαβριήλ Σακελλαρίδης δήλωσε ότι η Βουλή έκανε το πρώτο σημαντικό βήμα για τη συμφωνία, ψηφίζοντας τα δύσκολα μέτρα...

    Σημείωσε ότι το αποτέλεσμα της σημερινής ψηφοφορίας, όμως, συνιστά σοβαρή διαίρεση στην ενότητα της Κοινοβουλευτικής Ομάδας του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ. 32 Βουλευτές αποφάσισαν να μην στηρίξουν την κυβέρνηση της Αριστεράς καταψηφίζοντας την επιλογή της για αποτροπή του κινδύνου της χρεοκοπίας, είπε.

    Ωστόσο υπογράμμισε ότι βασική προτεραιότητα του πρωθυπουργού και της κυβέρνησης είναι η επιτυχής ολοκλήρωση της Συμφωνίας, το αμέσως επόμενο διάστημα.
    Πηγή: ΑΠΕ
    riknews.com.cy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Εγκρίθηκε η συμφωνία με 39 σοβαρές απώλειες στο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ - Αναλυτικά ποιοί καταψήφισαν...

    Δεκτό επί της αρχής έγινε το νομοσχέδιο «Επείγουσες ρυθμίσεις για τη διαπραγμάτευση και σύναψης συμφωνίας με τον Μηχανισμό Ευρωπαϊκής Στήριξης ESM», για τη συμφωνία μεταξύ κυβέρνησης και εταίρων που έφερε στην Βουλή η κυβέρνηση, όπως ανακοίνωσε ο προεδρεύων στην ψηφοφορία στη Βουλή, Αλέξης Μητρόπουλος.

    Ειδικότερα την πρόταση της κυβέρνησης ψήφισαν με «ναι» 229 βουλευτές, «όχι» ψήφισαν 64 βουλευτές, ενώ σημειώθηκαν και 6 παρών, έναντι ψηφισάντων 299 βουλευτών, ενώ απούσα ήταν η βουλευτής του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ Καβάλας, Αλεξάνδρα Τσανάκα.

    Στις 38 οι διαρροές του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ

    Σε ότι αφορά το κυβερνητικό σχήμα οι απώλειες για τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ ανέρχονται σε 38, εκ των οποίων 32 ψήφισαν «όχι» και 6 ψήφισαν «παρών». ...........http://www.huffingtonpost.gr/2015/07/16/politiki-vouleftes_n_7806250.html

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  3. Greece seeking relief from lenders after bailout vote...

    Greece's troubled left-wing government is seeking urgent relief from European lenders on Thursday, a day after it pushed a harsh austerity package through parliament, triggering a revolt in the ruling party and violent demonstrations in central Athens.

    Finance ministers from countries using the euro currency will hold a conference call to consider rescue financing for Greece, while the European Central Bank will mull a request from Athens to increase emergency assistance to troubled Greek banks that have been closed since July 29.

    In a post-midnight vote, Greece's parliament voted 229-64 to implement more austerity measures that include pension cuts and sweeping sales tax hikes. But the large majority was provided by pro-European opposition parties and in spite of deepening dissent within Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing Syriza party......AP........ctvnews.ca
    16/7/15

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