Communist Party

According to the latest poll conducted by the University of Macedonia and aired on Skai TV, Friday, the gap between leftist party SYRIZA and conservative New Democracy (ND) is closing.

Voters that are undecided on who they prefer in next month’s snap Greek general election comprise the majority of respondents in a recent opinion poll, published by the Athens daily “Efimerida ton Syntakton” (journalists’ gazette) on Friday.

One of the first opinion poll to see the light of day since snap elections appeared as a more-or-less given gives ruling SYRIZA a lead of two percentage points over main opposition New Democracy party, 24 percent to 22 percent.
The poll was conducted for the firm Interview and commissioned by the provincial television channel Vergina.

Political developments in Greece revolved squarely around the prospect of snap elections next month, whereas most of the planet on Monday was shocked by the same-day crash on global markets, while Europe focused on the thousands of Third World migrants trying to make it to the continent’s north.

Political developments with the commensurate statements by high-profile lawmakers continued on Friday, a day after PM Alexis Tsipras tendered his resignation and decision to hold snap elections.

Greece’s Parliament passed a draft law approving terms for a third bailout memorandum on Friday morning by a margin of 222 in favor to 64 against, after an all-night debate in the legislature confirmed an acrimonious division within the ruling SYRIZA party over the 11th-hour agreement.

Eleven MPs abstained, declaring themselves “present”.

Militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) have carried out two separate armed attacks in the southeastern provinces of Diyarbak?r and Tunceli.

PKK militants fired shots with long-barreled weapons at the police department from a mountainous area in Diyarbak?r?s Lice district at around 1:30 p.m. on Aug 10, with no casualties reported.

A dozen suspected militants have been remanded in custody following anti-terror raids across Istanbul on the morning of Aug. 4, police said.
      
Of the 23 suspects arrested in the raids, police earlier identified three as being linked to the far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C).
      

Britain has denied Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei a six-month visa, he cited an embassy official as saying July 30, restricting him to a three-week trip on the grounds he did not declare a criminal conviction in his application.

Political “fireworks” in Greece appear to be ebbing in the wake of an agreement with creditors and subsequent votes in Parliament to ratify the deal and pass “prior actions”, while the peaking Grecian summer season means less interest in politics — thankfully — and more for beach, sun, islands and excursions to mainland villages.

Friday political highlights include: