Defence & Foreign Affairs House Committee passes Prespes Agreement

Rumours of a censure motion by ND against the government

The Greek government’s refusal to bring the amended constitution of FYROM to the relevant House Committee for discussion is the focal point of the ongoing battle over the Prespes Agreement in parliament between SYRIZA and the opposition parties.

Amid a climate of mistrust and acrimony between political factions, the deal is expected to be introduced tomorrow to a plenary session, which will last two days before MPs vote on the ratification bill on Thursday night.

The parliamentary committee of Defence and Foreign Affairs has passed the Prespes Agreement draft bill, earlier Tuesday, with Former Defence minister and coalition partner of the SYRIZA government, Panos Kammenos warning he would back a censure motion in the midst of a vociferous debate at the committee chambers.

However, Thursday’s voting procedure could be postponed, if the latest rumours that major opposition party New Democracy (ND) calls for a motion of censure are realised. If this happens, the Greek parliament plenary will adjourn for three days to debate the censure notion before resuming the debate on the Prespes Agreement, pushing it into next week.
New Democracy has neither confirmed nor denied the scenario.