154 Greek lawmakers vote in favor of omnibus bill

The omnibus bill of austerity measures was voted in shortly after 1 a.m. on Saturday despite heated debate. 154 MPs of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) and its junior partner Independent Greeks (ANEL) voted in favor of the bill, after ANEL MP Nikos Nikolopoulos said he would vote against some sections of the omnibus bill.

The roll call vote started shortly after midnight where MPs were called to vote first on principle and then on seven articles (1, 2, 5, 10, 13, 14, 17 and 21) as requested by opposition parties.

Articles 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 were accepted by the majority as amended by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The voting of austerity measures aim to unlock the first tranche of loan money benchmarked for Greece in a nearly $98-bln-euro international bailout package.

The omnibus bill passed through includes crippling measures demanding by Greece’s international creditors such as the raising of the retirement age, cutting pensions, liberalization of the energy market, opening closed professions, increasing property tax and pushing through privatizations.

The packet of tough reforms are just the first that Greek Parliament will have to approve over the coming marks so as to meet the demands carved in stone by Greece’s creditors so that money can be dispensed in allotments.

In the debate leading up to the debate there had been

HIGHLIGHTS IN THE HOURS LEADING UP TO THE VOTING:

There was tension during the discussion leading up to the midnight voting of the omnibus bill of austerity measures in Greek Parliament.

– Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras and conservative ND opposition leader Vangelis Meimarakis locked swords prior to the voting of measures of the omnibus bill at midnight on Friday. Tsipras chose to protect the two ministers of his party who submitted misleading assets statements to Parliament, resulting in the reaction of Meimarakis.

– Independent Greeks (ANEL) MP stated he would vote against eight measures of the omnibus bill, stating he disagrees with the clauses related to tax contributions, the hardening of the debt settlement in 100 installments, pension reductions, etc. His divergence means that the government has 154 votes in favor of the bill, from the 155 expected.

– Former socialist PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos defended the decision for a PSI in 2012, after criticism by Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos. “Don’t spit where you will lick on knees,” said Venizelos.