ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras yesterday offered to hold early elections in late 2015 to clinch a crucial presidential vote next week that could affect the country’s economic future.
“We can find the proper timeframe for national elections, even at the end of 2015”, provided a president is elected and crunch EU-IMF loan talks are concluded, Samaras said in a nationally televised address.
“It is a national duty, and common sense also dictates, that we (first) conclude negotiations with the (EU-IMF) creditors,” Samaras said. Upcoming votes in parliament to elect a successor to President Karolos Papoulias, whose term ends in March, look likely to end in a stalemate which would automatically spark early elections.
Parliament last week fell 40 votes short of the required 200 to elect the government’s candidate for president, former EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas. Parliament will vote again on Tuesday when 200 votes are again required in the 300-seat chamber. Should that also fail, a third and final vote requiring 180 votes would be held on December 29. AFP
