Main opposition New Democracy (ND) party deputies walked out of a debate on Wednesday morning over an abruptly submitted amendment reversing legislation – passed nearly two weeks ago – that relaxed a strict regime preventing Greek office-holders from participating in off-shore companies.
ND had vilified the ratified article, tucked into a voluminous draft law that mostly prescribed indirect tax increases, privatizations and an automatic spending cut mechanism.
The passed amendment allowed participation in off-shore companies based in countries found in an OECD list, published annually, that gauges cooperation with tax authorities in third countries.
In response to the sharp criticism, the leftist government announced on Tuesday evening that it would vote away the amendment.
With the walkout by main opposition MPs a day later, the government counter-attacked, with a relevant spokeswoman posting oh her personal Tweeter account that “ND tolerated the defense of political ethics and transparency in Parliament for 15 minutes.”
In justifying the walk-out, ND’s Parliamentary rapporteur charged that the party would not be an accomplice to the government’s attempt at providing immunity for politicians with participation in off-shore companies.
The controversial article (No. 178), which was highlighted by the mass circulation weekly “Proto Thema” over the weekend, generated increased criticism even within the ruling leftist party’s ranks. A front-page headline in low-circulation SYRIZA-affiliated party newspaper was also critical on Tuesday, with the government retreating in the face of opposition the same day.
Nevertheless, despite the attempt to restore the stricter legal regime against office-holders and top ministry officials’ involvement in off-shore companies, the fact that the new law was published in Tuesday’s government gazette is interpreted as absolving any offences emanating from previous statutes regarding office holders and off-shore company participation.
The new amendment, overturning the recently passed amendment, was finally passed by 190 deputies out of 199 that re
