Greek government-debt crisis

It is very important that the Greek Parliament manages to elect a new president to succeed Karolos Papoulias so snap national elections can be avoided and a ballot date can be set for next autumn.

For all that to happen, the country must first wrap up negotiations with its international lenders and make sure that its economic performance continues to improve.

About 200 staff at New Democracy party have not received wages for three-and-a-half months, Kathimerini understands.

Opposition parties were mostly in agreement with the government’s stance on key foreign policy issues on Tuesday as Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos briefed MPs on the latest developments.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Deputy Premier Evangelos Venizelos met on Tuesday to study the list of 19 actions that the troika has demanded from Athens, setting apart five on which they believe the government will have to proceed cautiously.

Troika envoys have sent Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis (photo) a list of 19 tough reforms they want authorities to carry out for their latest review to be completed in time for a Eurogroup summit due on December 8, Kathimerini understands. The list was addressed to the finance minister last Friday.

Despite the huge challenges ahead, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his coalition partner, PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos, agreed on Monday that the government will remain focused on completing the current round of negotiations with the troika and securing an agreement for a “post-memorandum” era next year.

New Democracy politician Dimitris Avramopoulos, who took up his post as European Commissioner for Migration at the beginning of the month, believes that his party and rival SYRIZA may be called upon to govern together in the future.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will visit Athens in December to hold talks with Greek Premier Antonis Samaras, it was announced on Monday.

Finance Ministry sources told Kathimerini on Monday that troika representatives are due to return to Athens at the end of the week but Greece’s lenders were not able to confirm this.

All sides are refusing to budge in the ongoing crisis. The troika wants it all right now, as if oblivious to the current climate permeating public opinion and what is feasible or not. The government appears out of breath and has fallen prey to the overzealous expectations it nurtured. Opposition SYRIZA continues its accusations and polarization tactics without a hint of a plan.