A closely scrutinized and massive draft bill focusing on economic development was passed by a majority of 165 deputies in Parliament – out of 287 voting – on Thursday evening, with MPs from a small right-wing party joining colleagues from ruling New Democracy (ND) party in passing the legislation.
Among others, the government billed the 234-article bill as scaling back proverbial Greek bureaucratic “red tape” plaguing business investment at all levels, as well as allowing municipal governments – via a majority vote by city councils – to outsource services to private contractors, namely, sanitation, urban lighting and green space upkeep.
