Evangelos Meimarakis

Greek MPs failed on Dec. 23 to elect a president in a second vote in parliament, bringing an early general election, feared by financial markets and the country's EU-IMF creditors, a step closer.
      
The government candidate, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, fell 32 votes short of the required 200 votes, meaning a third and final vote will be held on December 29.

Opposition SYRIZA deputies were not expected to participate in a Parliamentary committee overlooking constitutional reforms proposed by the current coalition government, it emerged on Thursday.

SYRIZA chief Alexis Tsipras notified House Speaker Evangelos Meimarakis of the party’s decision on Thursday.

Government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi announced Monday that a first round of votes for the presidential election will be held on December 17, underlining the need for Greek authorities to focus on troika talks following a decision by eurozone officials to approve a short extension to Greece’s bailout and to curb political uncertainty.

BELGRADE - Serbia is creating a good envinronment that will attract a large number of Greek investors, Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday during a meeting with a delegation from the Greek parliament led by Parliament Speaker Evangelos Meimarakis.

SYRIZA asked on Monday for legislation regarding mergers in the media to be withdrawn from Parliament.

The leftist party labelled “provocative” an amendment that allows mass dismissals in the sector even though there are strict conditions for such sackings in other sectors of the economy.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has told New Democracy MPs that he does not think Greece will go to snap elections early next year over the election of a new president.

Parliamentary speaker Evangelos Meimarakis and the House’s deputy speakers are due to meet at 2.30 p.m. to decide whether MPs should debate and vote on a referendum on the privatisation of the Public Power Corporation (PPC).

Parliament narrowly approved on Wednesday the sale of 30 percent of PPC but immediately afterwards opposition parties submitted proposals for a referendum.

The Greek Parliament on Wednesday approved legislation paving the way for the part-privatization of the Public Power Corporation (PPC) but opposition parties did not give up their efforts to force a discussion about a referendum on the sale.

Parliament said on Wednesday that it was docking part of George Papandreou’s lawmaker’s salary because he had not been present on a number of days last month.

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has written to parliamentary speaker Evangelos Meimarakis to demand that the House discuss the role of former cabinet secretary Panayiotis Baltakos.