The 2015 Parliament Budget and the 2013 economic performance assessment were completed in Greek Parliament late on Tuesday. The conservative New Democracy (ND) and socialist PASOK coalition government voted in favor, whereas the main opposition Coalition of the left SYRIZA as well as the Greek Communist Party (KKE) and ultranationalist Golden Dawn (GD) voted against whereas the Democratic of the left (DIMAR) voted present and Independent Greeks (ANEL) cast a blank vote.

There was a climate of tension concerning the economic data of the report as well as over the budget and the “downgrading” of Democracy with finger-pointing between the government and the main opposition party.

SYRIZA spokesman Panagiotis Lafazanis said that there is an “abuse” of legislative acts and inadequate debating of bills through the use of emergency procedures by the government. He criticized the parctice of “last-minute” legislative amendments.

On his part, Parliamentary President Evangelos Meimarakis said that he could agree that there is an abuse but that the matter is an issue of the Parliament and not the government.

New Democracy parliamentary spokesman Adonis Georgiadis siad that “in 2010, the country went bankrupt and since then successive governments have been trying to keep the country on its feet in the eurozone. Certainly, in these exceptional circumstances the country is going through, it is very reasonable that the Parliament uses emergency procedures provided for by the Constitution.”