ND to vote “present” in talks over financial bonuses promised by Tsipras

Major opposition party reconsiders stance after EuroGroup decision to suspend Greek debt relief measures

According to sources, major opposition party New Democracy (ND) will most likely vote present on Thursday’s roll call vote in Greek parliament, called by the government, on an amendment that includes the recent financial bonuses to pensioners and the suspension of the VAT hikes in the Aegean islands announced by PM Alexis Tsipras. After initial, thoughts to back the economic bonuses announced by the Greek PM, ND reconsidered their strategy following the decision by the EuroGroup to halt the implementation of the medium-term measures on the Greek debt relief. Leader of ND Kyriakos Mitsotakis dubbed Tsipras “dangerous and unethical” “trapping the country in a deadend with his political brinkmanship.” Mr. Mitsotakis added that Tsipras should not seek any accomplices in his dangerous course. “Once more Mr. Tsipras is playing the fate of the country in a craps”, adding he was unethical for presenting a one-off financial bonus to pensioners as a 13th pension, while his government was planning more cuts for pensioners. “Mr Tsipras is dividing society because he is unable to shoulder the burden of his responsibilities”, Mitsotakis underlined