European Parliament

By Pantelis Boukalas

A pre-election promise is by its very nature a different thing from a post-election announcement. A promise, by virtue of its timing, is insensitive to political limitations and financial terms. Announcements, on the other hand, must follow the rules of knowledge and measured reflection. They cannot be the product of selfish voluntarism.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is due to announce on Tuesday at 4 p.m. to his parliamentary group the name of the man or woman he would like to succeed President Karolos Papoulias.

After the announcement of SYRIZA?s candidate, the first round of voting for the next president is due to take place on Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m.

The name of EU Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos was brandied as the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government's proposal for presidential candidate however the announcement that was to have taken place on Sunday was postponed.

European Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources, has been nominated in the "Politics" category of Novinite's 2014 Personalities in the News poll. Alongside all other nominees, she had been asked to answer three general questions before the poll closed.

Hours before the deadline, Novinite is publishing her answers.

According to a new poll conducted by the firm Marc for the private Alpha TV station, SYRIZA continues to enjoy a “honeymoon” with the electorate.

Nevertheless, a strong majority of respondents said they want Greece to remain in the euro, but at the same time called on the government not to back off in negotiations.

So much for the much ballyhooed "south Europe axis" and professed solidarity amongst bailed out eurozoners.
Spanish Prime Minister Marianno Rajoy caused a stir late on Thursday, at least amongst some Greek "twitterati", when he Tweeted a photograph of the EU Summit's "family portrait".

The new Greek government appears satisfied over negotiations so far in both Eurogroup and EU summit settings, or at least that is the press “spin” emanating from the ubiquitous “government sources”.

By Nikos Konstandaras

The wave of popularity that the government has been riding since its election reveals people?s need for hope. SYRIZA was elected on the promise that it would release the Greeks from the troubles of the past few years, concentrating on its opposition to the memorandum and its hostility toward the creditors? troika.

A snap election and the absence of international inspectors apparently led to the collapse of Greece’s tax revenues in January 2015, sounding warning bells for the new radical leftist SYRIZA government at the most inopportune time.

By Lefteris Papadimas

Greece's tax revenues slumped 23 percent below target in January as citizens held off on paying taxes before a snap election, marking a setback for the new left-wing government as it seeks a deal with European partners to avert a financial crisis.