Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou faces a parliamentary vote of confidence on Friday, one day after scrapping a controversial referendum that had angered world leaders who are trying to formulate a bailout fund for the cash-strapped country. Mr. Papandreou on Thursday dropped plans for a nation-wide vote on the bailout deal after Greece’s center-right opposition […]
Greek PM Faces Confidence Vote Amid Calls for Resignation
EU Leaders Urge Greece to Stick to Bailout Plan
ReutersUS 3 – 11/3/2011 6:31:00 PM – BC-BIZREP-NOV03-VARIOUS- European leaders say they are ready to continue supporting debt-ridden Greece if Athens remains committed to the agreed upon bailout package. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy urged Greece in a joint statement Thursday to continue with the implementation of […]
EU Leaders Urge Greece to Stick To Bailout Plan
VIDEO: ReutersUS 3 – 11/3/2011 3:18:00 PM – BC-RREP-NOV03-GREECE-GOV European leaders are welcoming the Greek prime minister’s decision to scrap a referendum on the international bailout deal for his country. George Papandreou backed out of his idea Thursday after German and French leaders made it clear that they would not allow Greek internal political squabbling […]
Greek Opposition Leader Calls for Early Elections
A Greek opposition leader has called on Prime Minister George Papandreou to resign and repeated a call for early elections, ahead of a confidence vote expected in parliament on Friday. Antonis Samaras made the demand Thursday during a parliamentary meeting to vote on whether to accept a European Union bailout package that contains deeply unpopular […]
Greek PM Drops Referendum, Says Early Election Would Be ‘Catastrophic’
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou says Greece must implement a bailout plan offered by the European Union and warned that calling early elections would be “catastrophic.” Speaking to members of his ruling Socialist party in Athens, he asked them to “bear the pressure” of the latest developments. Earlier Thursday, Mr. Papandreou told his Cabinet that […]
Reports: Greek PM Refuses to Resign, Drops Referendum Plans
Reports say Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has told his Cabinet he will not resign his post, but is prepared to drop a plan for a nationwide referendum on a European Union bailout package. Officials say Mr. Papandreou made the comments during an emergency Cabinet meeting Thursday, after the opposition said they would support the […]
Greek Opposition Leader Calls for Transition Government
A Greek opposition leader is calling for creation of a transition government to prepare for early elections, rather than allow Prime Minister George Papandreou to hold a nationwide vote on a European Union bailout package for the country. Antonis Samaras said Thursday that the sole purpose of the transitional government would be to conduct elections […]
Greek PM Calls Emergency Cabinet Meeting Ahead of Confidence Vote
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is holding an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday, as lawmakers in his ruling socialist party threaten to abandon his government over his controversial plan to put the country’s bailout package to a nation-wide vote. Socialist lawmaker Eva Kaili of the country’s ruling PASOK party said Thursday that she would not […]
For Greek Masses, Little Applause for Debt Deal
Greece’s debt may have been halved, but on the streets of Athens there is little applause for Thursday’s middle-of-the-night resolution of the European debt crisis. Greek leaders, including Prime Minister George Papandreou, praised the agreement that cut the government’s debt by $140 billion. But many Greeks view the deal as leading to outside control of […]
Greeks Expecting More Shutdowns Ahead of Austerity Vote
Greeks are preparing for a massive nationwide strike ahead of Thursday’s vote on the latest proposed austerity measures. Much of Greece is expected to grind to a halt as workers protest further cuts to their pay and tax increases. Already trash service has become an issue across Athens. The Greek military has been made available […]