The bill on land and town planning reform was ratified at Parliament’s First Summer Session yesterday with votes by the New Democracy and PASOK party. The government gave assurances that procedures on the bill’s discussion and ratification meet the company’s commitments to its lenders, however the opposition parties remained reserved, unconvinced and voted against the bill despite the fact that is one of the six demands required for June’s tranche.

Some of the opposition’s concern focused on provisions in the bill that are aimed at making regions more suitable for receiving large-scale investments.The priority that the bill gives to this target, combined with the simplification of the existing control procedures caused the opposition to denounce the bill.

Environment Minister Yiannis Maniatis stressed the need for investments and pointed out that “for investments to be made, however, the question of ‘where can I invest, how and when’ must be answered”.