Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-07-18

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Parliament passes omnibus bill with slim majority

[01] Parliament passes omnibus bill with slim majority

The highly controversial bill was passed with a slim majority of 153 votes in favour out of a total of 293 deputies present.

Passed by New Democracy and PASOK deputies, the bill was voted down by main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA), Independent Greeks (ANEL), the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi).

SYRIZA and ANEL had requested a roll-call vote for fifteen articles, which they voted against, while former coalition partner Democratic Left (DIMAR) voted for two articles, relating to the tax exemption of troika and EU Task Force representatives residing in Greece, as well as international organisation and diplomatic corps representatives living in Greece. Within DIMAR, nine deputies voted for only one of the two articles.

PASOK deputy Paris Koukoulopoulos voted against article 81 pertaining to the dissolution of the municipal police service, while veteran politician from the same party Apostolos Kaklamanis was absent from the vote itself.

On Thursday, PASOK party spokesman Odysseas Konstantinopoulos told private TV station Mega that Koukoulopoulos "will have to explain himself, talk with the party's leader and decisions made."

"When someone is parliamentary spokesman, it is best to have cleared these issues from the start. This would be more truthful, because it expresses the party line," added the spokesman.

Asked about Kaklamanis' absence, Konstantinopoulos said he had been informed that following his speech in Parliament he felt ill and went to hospital.

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