#GREECE: New Gov't Wants To Replace Previous Leftist Gov't Appointment To Commission

[world politics news]

The newly elected New Democracy Party government is due to pass a law providing for the dismissal of members and staff of the competition commission if they have recently served in government offices.

This  means that the current competition boss, Vassiliki Thanou, will have to be replaced.

Thanou, a former supreme court chief justice, was nominated by the previous leftist government and before that, she was a non-paid adviser of former premier Alexis Tsipras.

The opposition Syriza Party is accusing the government of interfering in the operation of the commission, which regulates business.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#GREECE: Parliament Votes To Recognize Palestinian Statehood

[world politics news]

Greece's parliament, led by the Left-leaning Syriza Party, has voted to recognize an independent Palestinian State, joining several other European Nations in the past year. It comes amid an official visit to Greece by the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

#GREECE: Parliament Ratifies Tsipras Party Program In Post-Election Confidence Vote

[world politics news]

Greece's parliament easily ratified the platform of the Syriza Party and Prime Minister Alexis Tspiras after a three-day debate which followed the party's easy election last month. Tsipras had opened the debate, presenting his government's objectives for the next four years.

#GREECE: Greeks Return Syriza Party & Tsipras To Power With Coalition In Surprising Result

[world politics news]

Alexis Tsipras' left-wing, anti-austerity Syriza Party entered Sunday's election badly damaged but in the end, Greek voters decided to give them another chance, winning the fifth election in six years. Syriza topped the vote, gaining 35%, the conservative New Democracy party had 28% and the far-right Golden Dawn is set to be the third biggest party, with 7.1%.

#GREECE: Syriza Party Struggles To Maintain Power Ahead Of Elections

[world politics news]

With just days before an election, the Syriza Party is fighting for its life after one-fourth of its members have left  to form the a new party, Popular Unity, which is more radically opposed to austerity and openly calls for Greece to exit the EU. Two polls put Syriza and the center-right New Democracy Party nearly tied.

Pictured: Popular Unity Party leader Panagiotis Lafazanis

#GREECE: Tough Deal For #EU Bailout Could Cause Tsipras' Party To Rebel, Force New Elections

[world politics news]

Just a week after a nationwide vote to reject more austerity and reforms in exchange for more bailout money from the EU, a deal struck Sunday to give Greece billions more Euros demands exactly what voters rejected. The PM's  Syriza Party may put up resistance and fracture, forcing new elections.

#GREECE: #Athens Mayor Says "No" Vote Risks "Isolation" Within Europe; Criticizes EU Handling of Greece

[world politics news]

Ahead of Sunday's referendum on an EU bailout, Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis warned that a vote against the creditors’ proposals would isolate Greece. Kaminis is heading up the national "Yes" vote to accept the EU bailout and austerity it will bring. He also critiqued the EU's handling of the crisis.

#GREECE: Fin. Min. Varoufakis Vows To Resign If Greeks Vote "Yes" To EU Austerity

[world politics news]

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said Greece won’t "extend and pretend" that it can pay its debts, vowing to resign as finance minister if voters don’t support him in Sunday’s referendum. He said he would "prefer to cut my arm off" rather than sign an agreement without debt being restructured.

#GREECE: Country Will Default On Tuesday, Admits Gov't Official; Makes "Grexit" From Euro More Certain

[world politics news]

Greece won’t make a debt repayment to the International Monetary Fund Tuesday, a senior government official has said. The IMF has said that if payment of US$1.7 billion is not made, Greece will be immediately in default, causing a possible exit from the Eurozone and a painful economic shockwave.

Pictured: An ATM in Greece that has run out of funds.

#GREECE: BREAKING: As Bailout Talks Near An End, PM Tells Parliament EU Proposals Are "Extreme"

[world politics news]

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told the Greek Parliament today that the bailout proposals put on the table by Europe's institutions and the IMF this week were "extreme" and "cannot be accepted." He went on today say Greece's demands are the "only realistic proposal." His call for a united front with other parties was immediately rejected.

#GREECE: PM Tsipras Threatens Referendum If A Good Deal Isn't Reached With EU In May

[world politics news]

If Greece can't reach a compromise with its European creditors that fits with the main governing party's election promises, it will be put to a referendum, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Monday night on Greek TV.

#GREECE: Greek/IMF Spat Denied; Greece Is "Ready To Pay" IMF Says PM Tsipras

[world politics news]

PM Alexis Tsipras says Greece will be "ready to pay" the 458 million Euros it owes to the International Monetary Fund on Thursday to stave off bankruptcy. The government is said to have asked the EU for an advance on its 7 billion Euro loan as financial talks reach their "final hour."

#GREECE: Energy Min. Says Gov't Opposes #EU Energy Union; Will Not Privatize Energy Sector

[world politics news]

Greece opposes the EU's Energy Union plan, which undermines Greece's national interests, including relations with Russia, says Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, who also ruled out any privatizing the energy sector. The Union would require deals with non-EU states be approved by the European Commission. Russia says energy deals are confidential.

#GREECE: PM #AlexisTsipras Assures Europe Greece Will Pay Its Debts

[world politics news]

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras insisted Thursday that his government will pay debts that are due soon, even if Athens doesn't get part of a rescue loan that will only get released if current bailout talks are successful.

#GREECE: As Deadline For Re-Negotiated Debt Looms, Greece Told "Stop Wasting Time"

[world politics news]

Officials representing Greece’s creditors will return to Athens this week as Alexis Tsipras’ left-wing government is told to stop wasting time in talks over implementing the country’s controversial bailout programme. "We have spent two weeks discussing who meets who where and in what format, and it's a complete waste of time,"said Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem.

#GERMANY: Conservatives In Merkel's Party Demand Vote, Tough Terms For Greek Bailout

[world politics news]

A group of hardliners among German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives have urged lawmakers to take a tough stance on a loan extension to Greece. They have publicly warned against being too lenient on Greece, underscoring misgivings about the loan extension among Merkel's Christian Democrats.

#GREECE: #Germany Rejects Greek Request For Loan To Replace Severe Austerity Plan

[world politics news]

Germany has rejected a Greek request for a six-month extension to its EU loan. Greece had sought a new six-month package, rather than a renewal of the existing deal that comes with tough austerity conditions that have devastated its economy. Greece now has one day to reach a new deal.

#GREECE: EU Issues Greece An Ultimatum Over Extending Bailout Deal

[world politics news]

Greek officials are "cautiously optimistic" about a deal extending the EU's bailout of the troubled nation, just 10 days before their current deal expires. The EU hopes Greece will extend the deal six months, but Greece's new government, saying it's suffering under severe austerity measures, wants a loan deal instead.

#GREECE: PM #AlexisTsipras Seeks Bridge Loan To Replace EU Austerity Plan; Seeks WW2 Reparations from Germany

[world politics news]

New PM Alexis Tsipras says Greece will seek a bridge loan rather than an extension of its bailout from the EU, which is due to end this month. Addressing parliament, Tsipras said Greece would also seek wartime reparations from Germany for the occupation of Greece.

#SPAIN: Inspired By Greek Leftist's Victory, Tens Of Thousands Rally With Podemos Party Against Austerity

[world politics news]

Inspired by last week's victory of the anti-austerity, radical Leftist Syriza Party in Greece, and angered by both major parties, Spain's upstart Leftist party Podemos attracted tens of thousands to a rally opposing the ongoing austerity program imposed by the European Union.