Greek Parliament approves new package of bailout reforms amid reactions

by Aggelos Skordas

The Greek Parliament approved on Monday a new package of reforms agreed between the SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government and the country’s international creditors in exchange for funds that will be disbursed after the conclusion of the bailout program’s third review. The bill was approved after a long debate between members of the cabinet and opposition MPs, while thousands of protestors took to the street of Athens.

In the 300-seat Greek Parliament, the bill was passed with the 154 votes of SYRIZA and ANEL MPs plus the vote of independent (former Centrists Union) MP Theodora Megaloikonomou, who announced she is joining SYRIZA. In total, 141 MPs from New Democracy, Democratic Coalition, To Potami, Centrists Union, Greek Communist Party and Golden Dawn) voted against it. During the process a small group of demonstrators -detached from a peaceful march of more than 20,000 people- clashed with riot police squads outside the Parliament. The group threw Molotov bombs and stones against the police forces that made use of tear gas and stun grenades, while no injuries were recorded in some 30 minutes of tension.

The approval of the so called omnibus bill marks the “end of a long and difficult cycle” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said. “Essentially, this concludes the legislative part of the prior actions needed for the conclusion of the third review. Everybody is aware that with the conclusion of the third review, we are one step before the end of the program and the final end of the memoranda”, he added. Referring specifically to the changes the bill is bringing in the way unions will call strikes he underlined that “the right to strike is a sacred conquest of the working class. It is neither abolished nor threatened by this government. We want bodies and trade unions to be massively, militarily and continuously active against employers' authoritarianism and any violation of labor law”.

On his behalf main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, addressing the Greek Premier said: “You are legislating articles that even you do not agree with”, adding that he “turned lying into a profession and cynicism into an art”.

Among others, the bill includes a series of economic reforms and also introduces electronic properties foreclosures on overdue loans, changes in family benefits and the opening of closed professions. Concluding the program’s review, a prerequisite of which was the 1,500-page reforms bill approval will unlock almost 6.5 billion euros in bailout funds.