The critical omnibus bill, which includes a series of prior actions agreed upon in the bailout, has passed through Greek Parliament after a late-night vote on Thursday.
The bill was supported by 153 MPs from SYRIZA and the Independent Greeks, while 118 MPs from New Democracy, Golden Dawn, PASOK/DIMAR, KKE and the Union of Centrists voted against it and 9 MPs from the River abstained.
Roll call
The vote was conducted by roll-call, as asked by New Democracy. One SYRIZA MP and one ANEL lawmaker were absent from the vote, while another SYRIZA lawmaker voted against the article concerning the Athens Concert Hall (article 53).
Lawmakers voted on several articles separately, specifically articles 21, 31, 35, 39, 42, 43, 44, 51, 53.
Article 53
The Democratic Coalition voted against all articles, except 39, 44 and 53 which they approved. To Potami voted against all articles except 31, 39, 44 and 53 for which they were in favor. KKE voted for 39, 43 and 53, abstained from 31, 42, 44 and against the remaining articles. The Centrists Union voted against all articles except 35, 39 and 53 which they approved.
Article 53 in the bill – which prolongs the tenure of the board of the Athens Concert Hall and addresses the issuing of tax and social security clearance – was broadly supported by SYRIZA, New Democracy, the River, PASOK, KKE and the Union of Centrists.
Major tensions
All Independent Greeks MPs voted against it, with the exception of Elena Kountoura. New Democracy’s Sofia Voultepsi and SYRIZA’s Anna Vagena also voted against the article, against their party line.
The discussion in Parliament was carried out in major tensions, in relation the attack against New Democracy MP Giorgos Koumoutsakos outside Parliament, as well as the controversial statements of Education Minister Nikos Filis on the genocide of Pontic Greeks. The Ministry of Finances revealed that it will soon be announcing its decisions concerning the VAT in education.
