Photos - Naftemporiki and iefimerida.gr
Greek Parliament met the dawn beset by bickering, insults, controversy and yelling in what should have been an attempt at a constructive political debate on the third bailout package for Greece (which was already approved by the Parliament of Finland). Discussions began yesterday in the law and finance committee, before the MPs stepped into the plenary hall at about midnight.
The night was specifically gruelling for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who heard grave denunciations from both his ideological comrades and his political adversaries. "I do not know whether to feel sorry for, or ashamed of, the government," said SYRIZA's Left Platform leader Panagiotis Lafazanis. Expectations he would break the news that the 35 Platform members are leaving the coalition did not materialize, but rumours that he is preparing to set up a new party have thickened.
"I cannot stand behind Tsipras any more" said the parliament speaker, Zoe Kostantopoulou, dramatically, and added "he booted us like dogs." She owned up to having made a mistake in declaring that "this parliament will not vote memoranda."
Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis, who vowed his MPs would support the Memorandum, reminded Tsipras that he was now paying the price of his unrealistic promises. "You are porkbarrel politicians who lie outrageously to grab power," were the words of Theodorakis.
PASOK deputies also said they would support the agreement with the creditors, but "the copyright of the third memorandum belongs to the Tsipras-Kamenos duet," said the socialist leader, Fofi Gennimata. "The 'first left government' led to the third memorandum, with the severest of conditions to boot," she snapped.
"If you think that new elections will help you, New Democracy is ready," said in turn the president of the Greek conservatives, Vangelis Meimarakis. This is what he replied to the attacks of deputies and ministers from the ruling coalition: "Here you have to be humble. You cannot attack us and ask us to vote for your Memorandum at the same time. The two don't go together."
Voting in parliament should begin at around 9 AM. GRReporter will carry live all news surrounding Greece's third bailout.