Economy Minister insists that ‘parallel program’ for humanitarian aid will proceed

Economy Minister George Stathakis told private SKAI TV that the so-called parallel program to counterset problems caused by the austerity program will proceed as soon as some issues are clarified.

He said on Friday that lenders are aware of issues concerning the humanitarian program’s financial cost. Asked about the withdrawal of the draft law of the parallel program he said that it would proceed and appeared optimistic that a compromise solution would be found by the four institutions representing Greece’s creditors from the European Commission, European Central Bank, European Stability Mechanism and International Monetary Fund.

He noted that the parallel program has provisions that must proceed for the support of vulnerable groups of society and he reiterated the government’s position that the discussion on the parallel program has not frozen following the withdrawal of opposition ministers from parliament. Furthermore he said that the program would proceed using normal procedures and not through fast-track emergency procedures.

Noteworthy is the fact that the government was forced to slow down regarding this program following a warning by creditors that the 1-bln-euro bailout would be at stake if such a program was voted through despite the passing of the 13 prior actions late on Tuesday.