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A parliamentary debate on a no-confidence motion against the government, lodged by conservative New Democracy, is likely to become even more acrimonious on Saturday as Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is expected to submit documents revealing how previous governments handled the Macedonia name talks over the years. 

In the wake of the name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) announced by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday, the government and opposition New Democracy have been set on a collision course which is expected to culminate in Parliament in coming days.

Conservative New Democracy retains a 10 percentage point lead over leftist SYRIZA, according to the findings of a new opinion poll carried out the firm Pulse for Skai Television.

The survey found that if elections were held now 31.5 percent of respondents would vote for ND compared to 21.5 percent for leftist SYRIZA, which shares power with the right-wing Independent Greeks (ANEL).

The government and the main conservative opposition New Democracy party clashed Thursday over the progress of United Nations-mediated talks aimed at breaking a deadlock between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over the latter's name.

A new opinion poll carried out by the firm Pulse for Skai puts conservative New Democracy 10 percentage points ahead of ruling leftist SYRIZA.

Asked who they would vote for if general elections were to be held now, 31.5 percent of respondents said ND and 21.5 percent said SYRIZA.

Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said on Friday that German judicial authorities have relayed evidence to their counterparts in Greece suggesting that Greek state officials received bribes from rail firm Deutsche Bahn to influence contract decisions related to construction work at the Athens metro between 2003 and 2007. 

The main conservative opposition party New Democracy on Wednesday submitted to Parliament its proposal for the formation of an investigative committee to probe whether former health ministers Panayiotis Kouroublis and Andreas Xanthos, as well as Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis, are guilty of breaches of faith. 

A prosecutors' report alleging that Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis bribed Greek government officials has fuelled a vehement row between the government and conservative New Democracy, Greece's main opposition party. 

Surging shale oil production in Texas and North Dakota is being felt on trading desks in Chicago, Houston and New York, where a brisk business in West Texas Intermediate crude futures is far outpacing contracts for London-based Brent crude.

The main opposition party, conservative New Democracy, is maintaining a steady lead over ruling leftist SYRIZA, according to a new opinion poll carried out by Public Issue which puts ND 15.5 percentage points ahead. 

According to the survey, if elections were to be held now, 37 percent of respondents would vote for ND, compared to 21.5 percent for SYRIZA.