New Democracy

Two coalition MPs on Friday failed to support the amendment to the recent tax arrears law, which nonetheless passed through Parliament, as a New Democracy lawmaker announced he was quitting the party.

New Democracy politician Dimitris Avramopoulos, who took up his post as European Commissioner for Migration at the beginning of the month, believes that his party and rival SYRIZA may be called upon to govern together in the future.

Leftist SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has requested a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and, sources indicated on Friday, the overture has been accepted.

A date is expected to be set in the coming days for a meeting in Brussels between the two men.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades are due to continue talks in Nicosia on Friday after the New Democracy leader arrived on the Eastern Mediterranean island yesterday to back Cyprus’s right to explore for hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

A verbal assault in Parliament against Communist Party (KKE) deputy Liana Kanelli cost Deputy Education Minister Giorgos Stylios his job on Thursday after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras asked the conservative cabinet member to resign.

Parliament on Wednesday voted in favor of lifting New Democracy MP Michalis Tamilos’s immunity for four different cases.

Tamilos faces two charges relating to the time that he was mayor of Trikala and another two that are connected to a business in which he was a partner.

New Democracy politician Thanasis Plevris will take the place of outgoing Dimitris Avramopoulos in Parliament.

Avramopoulos gave up his seat on Monday as he left to take up the role of Home Affairs and Migration commissioner in Brussels.

Greece’s new defense and development ministers are due to be sworn in on Monday after a mini reshuffle caused by the departure of Dimitris Avramopoulos from his post at the Defense Ministry to become the EU's Home Affairs and Migration commissioner.

Nikos Dendias, 55, leaves the Development Ministry to replace Avramopoulos.

The two parties comprising the coalition government, conservative New Democracy and socialist PASOK, are once again faced with a number of crucial decisions.

Changes in the pay structure of public servants as well as the laws governing the operations of trade unions are reforms that PASOK obviously can and should support.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and the coalition government's deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos will meet at the Maximos Mansion on Thursday ahead of a visit by troika's technical teams early next month.