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"All at once". A purge law for 11.5 billion euro

15 September 2012 / 14:09:52  GRReporter
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"All at once" is the tactic which the government will follow in Parliament when the package to the amount of 11.5 billion euro will be finished and ratified at the meeting of political leaders. Antonis Samaras and Evangelos Meimarakis agreed that the measures should be introduced and voted under the form of a one-article bill, in order for lawmakers of the ruling party to no be able to choose which measures to support and which not to. The vote should pass in Parliament by the end of September, to pave the way for the next tranche.

It is clear to the Prime Minister that the package of economic measures must pass in order for Greece to be given the huge tranche of 31.5 billion euro and to be able to claim an extension of the financial adjustment term. Samaras emphasized categorically to governing partners that he has to go to the summit on 18 October with financial measures voted in the Greek Parliament and the final plan has to be completed by the end of next week. According to existing information, Samaras, Venizelos and Kouvelis will meet once more, probably on Monday or Tuesday to complete the measures.

After that the Prime Minister will announce the outlines of the policy that will follow, with a message which he will send to the Greek people. Right after that, the package will be submitted to parliament. The government aims for this to happen no later than the end of September. If all this happens, the Troika's report may be ready in the first ten days of October. If it is positive, as the government is expecting, during the 18 October summit, a green light will be given to the provision of 31.5 billion euro. In parallel, Samaras will make a formal request for an extension with legitimate hopes of winning.

Besides the pressing time constraints and because of the poor state of public finances, the government wants to pass the measures quickly so that no negative climate from the reactions of professional organizations and citizens is created.

The four steps to the 31.5 billion euro tranche are:

To vote the 11.5 billion package by the end of September.

The Troika's report is expected in the first ten days of October.

The Eurogroup meets in Brussels on 8 October.

The Brussels summit is on 18 October.

None of the controversial bills which were introduced last year in Parliament was limited to one article only, so many deputies voted against, in order to reduce negative reactions towards themselves. The first memorandum, which had seven articles, passed in Parliament on 6 May 2010, with 172 votes "for", 121 votes "against" and 3 "abstentions". The medium-term programme was the biggest, containing 49 articles, and it passed on 29 June, 2010 with 155 "for", 138 "against" and 5 "abstentions". The second Memorandum was debated and voted in Parliament on 12 February, 2012, it had five articles and was passed by a majority of 199 votes in favour and 74 votes "against".

During the vote of the first Memorandum, the tax agreement was supported by PASOK and LAOS, as well as by New Democracy deputy Dora Bakoyannis, who was then excluded both by the party's parliamentary group and the party itself. The same path was taken by three PASOK deputies who abstained, resulting in a decrease in PASOK lawmakers' number to 157. During the vote of the medium-term programme, one member of PASOK voted "against" and the New Democracy deputy support it. As a result, they were both excluded from their parliamentary groups.

The greatest of the parliamentary battles, accompanied by episodes outside Parliament as well, took place on 12 February 2012, when the second Memorandum passed, causing significant losses among the ranks of the parties, forming the government of Lucas Papademos. The memorandum was supported by 199 deputies, but a total number of 43 members of PASOK, New Democracy and LAOS were excluded from their parties.

Tags: Antonis Samaras tranche Troika measures Evangelos Meimarakis
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