- Title: GREECE: Protesters detained at Greek parlaiment as austerity debate starts
- Date: 30th June 2011
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JUNE 29, 2011) (REUTERS) ENTRANCE TO PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES' CARS ARRIVING AND DRIVING INTO PARLIAMENT GROUNDS THREE POLICE VANS BLOCKING THE ROAD TO PARLIAMENT POLICE STANDING BY MOTORBIKES CAR OF MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT LIANNA KANELLI ARRIVING ANOTHER MP ARRIVING ON FOOT PRIME MINISTER'S CONVOY ARRIVING POLICE ESCORT THREE DETAINED PROTESTERS TO POLICE CAR VARIOUS DETAINED PROTESTERS POLICE CAR WITH DETAINED PROTESTERS DRIVES AWAY
- Embargoed: 15th July 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece, Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Economy,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA86W1RBVXZSJWF24TQ56CKVFYK
- Story Text: Three protesters were detained on Wednesday (June 29) as Greek members of parliament arrived for a debate ahead of a crucial vote on a sweeping and deeply unpopular austerity plan, demanded by the nation's international creditors.
With Greece risking bankruptcy if the measures are blocked, parliament is expected to vote in the early afternoon on the mix of spending cuts, tax increases and privatisation agreed under a massive bailout by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Late on Tuesday (June 28), the government of Prime Minister George Papandreou received a boost when one of three rebel deputies from his ruling PASOK party backtracked on his previous opposition and said he would vote for the package. Greece's central bank governor, George Provopoulos, warned that a "no" vote would be catastrophic for Greece.
A parliamentary official said the vote would probably take place between 2 and 5 p.m. (1100-1400 GMT).
There were violent clashes in Athens on Tuesday between police and demonstrators against the austerity plan, and the sting of tear gas hung in the air over the debris-strewn Syntagma Square early on Wednesday.
Papandreou's Socialists hold a narrow majority with 155 seats in the 300-member legislature giving the vote a good chance to go through.
Despite heavy international pressure, the centre-right opposition has declared it will vote against the package but there is close attention on a splinter group of conservative deputies led by former foreign minister Dora Bakoyanis.
Bakoyanis, who broke party ranks to vote in favour of Greece's EU/IMF bailout last year, said on Wednesday she would abstain from voting this time. The other four deputies in her group would vote according to their consciences.
"The Democratic Alliance announces that it will abstain because we have to tell the truth to the people, so that we can fight for a different outcome for this country. We will abstain so that we can take on the political cost of our position," Bakoyanis told deputies as the debate started.
If Wednesday's vote passes, there will still be a risk that lawmakers might reject detailed austerity bills in votes on Thursday (June 30) on the implementation of different elements of the plan, such as tax rises and the sale of state assets.
"Why does the government believe that this huge mistake that is going to be voted on - if it is going to be voted on - is going to be implemented? Have we not realised that the problem is not what we vote on but that it is not implemented in this country?" asked MP from the main opposition New Democracy Party, Constantine Tasoulas, in his speech during the morning debate.
The EU and the IMF have said the entire plan must be passed this week for Greece to obtain the next, 12 billion euro ($17.3 billion) tranche of emergency loans under the bailout. Greek officials have said the country needs the money by mid-July to continue paying its debts.
Several hundred people gathered in front of parliament early on Wednesday in anticipation of fresh protests. There were isolated incidents of violence and police thwarted an attempt by a group of protesters to block a street used by deputies to drive into the parliament building. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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