Ruling SYRIZA party will request a roll call vote on Thursday for a one-off bonus to 1.6 million pensioners in Greece, a procedure viewed as trying to “corner” the political opposition into either approving the government’s abrupt spending initiative or have MPs publicly oppose a measure that would “fatten” the wallets of a sizeable number of beneficiaries – and voters — ahead of the holidays.
In reports circulated by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ office on Wednesday, the latter himself took the decision before departing on Wednesday from Thessaloniki for Brussels to attend a European summit.
A related decision to postpone the harmonization of the VAT rate on several eastern Aegean islands still facing the migrant/refugee crisis will also be included in a draft bill set for a Parliament vote on Monday.
