The Greek parliament early Saturday morning approved a "multi-bill" including a large number of economic reforms imposed by the bailout agreement with its European creditors.
Passage of the bill should release the next tranche of bailout payments for Greece. If the eurozone countries and the institutional creditors -- the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, and the EU -- agree, Greece will receive a听听鈧�2 billion ($2.3 billion).
Reforms included raising the retirement age, tougher punishment for tax evasion,and labor and听energymarket liberalization, among the 19 articles in the bill.
The bill was voted by the ruling coalition of left-wing SYRIZA and the rightwing听Independent Greeks parties. The听coalition of听controls 155 seats which all voted in favor of the bill -- only 151 were required for passage.听
Parliamentary discussion on the 19 article multi-bill entitled "Measures for the implementation of the agreement on fiscal targets and structural reforms" had started at committee level on Tuesday and in plenary on Friday.
The draft law aims to penalize early retirement and expand an unpopular听property tax (ENFIA).听
In addition, prison sentences and assets commitment for the offense of tax evasion, increases on property taxes and income from rentals, value-added tax and private education are also included, although they were subject to heated debate.听
There is still considerable opposition to the reforms both within parliament and among the people.听A Communist-backed labor union and Civil Servants' Confederation held protests听in central Athens during Friday鈥檚 parliament sessions while six opposition parties had听pledged to vote against the bill.
Evangelos Meimarakis, leader of the听main opposition party, the rightwing听New Democracy, rejected the bill in Parliament on Thursday: 鈥淰ote for them on your own: They create problems for society,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e voted for the program, which contains targets and a timetable,鈥� he went on to explain why New Democracy backed the third bailout in Parliament in August. 鈥淭hese measures are yours,鈥� he added.
The听debate in parliament on Friday included some lively exchanges among political opponents, showing that opinion is anything but unified in supporting the reforms.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused the opposition of only being interested in power and not in solutions. "The uproar over听new measures and new tax burdens was futile. There are no new measures," Tsipras said . He also referred to the 鈥渄ifficult measures鈥� of the bill which 鈥渙pposition parties New Democracy, Pasok and Potami knew about in August when they voted for the deal and now refuse to vote for鈥�.
鈥淲hat exactly are you pretending to be today? Against the memorandum? For five years you agreed to do whatever the lenders told you without negotiating鈥� said the Prime Minister slamming the opposition parties.
Addressing Tsipras, Vangelis Meimarakis said: "We are not SYRIZA. We will vote only what is non-recessionary, what is in the interest of the country and against the measures we consider opposed to development and anti-social. We will not give you a carte blanche.鈥�
New Democracy MP Nikos Voutsis accused the Prime Minister of "bringing a bad deal to the country for which he doesn't apologize."
In line with New Democracy, head of the socialist-liberal Potami Theodorakis wondered "How much SYRIZA's听movement听towards the Europe听will cost the Greek people" referring to the government鈥檚 previous mistakes in the negotiations and refugee crisis.
Golden Dawn leader Giorgos Mihaloliakos pointed out that the multi-bill will destroy the Greek pharmaceutical industry while it will rapidly advances the selling off and privatization of the country's assets.
What is next for the government is the adoption of the second package of bailout reforms听by late October-early November If eurozone countries agree, this would听release听the next bailout payment of听听鈧�1 billion ($1.2 billion).听
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By Vasiliki Mitsiniotou
Anadolu Agency
enerji@aa.com.tr
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