Politics of Greece

Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos has attributed reports of differences between him and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras over foreign policy issues to detractors who would rather see New Democracy cooperate with the far right than PASOK.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras or his finance minister, Gikas Hardouvelis, are expected to write to cabinet members this coming week reminding them of the actions that each department has to carry out and the limited time frame in which these measures can be carried out so Greece is prepared for the return of the troika to Athens in mid-September.

Former Prime Minister George Papandreou on Saturday called for voters to be given greater access to the political decision-making process through referendums.

Speaking at the 15th Symi Symposium, held on the island of Spetses, urged leaders to adopt a more direct form of democracy.

By Alexis Papachelas

Education Minister Andreas Loverdos (photo) on Thursday had to step in to ensure that a visually impaired honor student can attend university.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday as part of an effort to convince key leaders ahead of the troika review in September that Greece should be allowed to reduce taxes and increase the payment period for businesses and individuals who owe money to the state.

The government has no intention of backing down over its commitment to firing civil servants this year and aims to complete their work evaluation despite objections from their union, ADEDY, Administrative Reform Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis insisted on Tuesday.

Greece’s public water companies, which had been slated to be privatized, will remain under state control, in line with a recent decision by the Council of State, it was decided on Monday during talks between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, his coalition partner Evangelos Venizelos and two key ministers.

Troika officials met with representatives of the Labor and Health ministries on Thursday as Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos emerged from a meeting with Premier Antonis Samaras and insisted that the government intends to keep to its pledge to relax its austerity policies and not request a third bailout.

A discussion in Parliament on whether proposals by opposition parties for a debate on a referendum about the partial privatization of the Public Power Corporation can be approved began in the House on Friday but leftist SYRIZA, Independent Greeks and Communist Party (KKE) MPs did not attend the session.