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Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-09
CONTENTS
[01] Parliamentary vote of confidence in government on Sunday, debate
begins Friday
[01] Parliamentary vote of confidence in government on Sunday, debate
begins Friday
Prime minister Costas Karamanlis on Wednesday called for a vote of
confidence in his government by parliament, responding to an earlier
call by main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou for a vote of no
confidence against economy and finance minister George Alogoskoufis.
During an off-the-agenda debate on the economy in the 300-member House,
Papandreou launched a scathing attack on the government, and opined
that "very soon, the people will decide that the big step for
structural changes in the country is to put (ruling party) ND back in
the opposition benches". He then announced that he was submitting, on
behalf of his main opposition party, a motion of censure vis-a-vis
Algoskoufis.
In response, Karamanlis said that, because the economy and the budget
were not the issue of one person, but of overall government policy, "I
request that the discussion be converted into a vote of confidence in
the government, so that we may be given full opportunity to discuss
issues, and for those responsible under the PASOK governments in the
preceding years to appear".
The vote of confidence will commence on Friday, to be wound up on
Sunday night with a roll-call vote.
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