Parliamentary eye - The Best from Greece

CUTS, cuts and more cuts. Parliament’s 2012 budget will force lawmakers to tighten their own belts to save the country some 27 million euros next year. 

 

The new 170.9 million euro budget, which was tabled by parliament speaker Filippos Petsalnikos on October 26, includes pay cuts for MPs and parliament staff, as well as a drastic reduction in the freebies. Parliament, for instance, will no longer cover most of MPs’ travel expenses.

 

Meanwhile, Alternate Finance Minister Pantelis Economou (photo) told parliament on October 25 the state is spending some 8.3 million euros each month in rent. Answering a question tabled by main opposition New Democracy (ND) deputy Argyris Dinopoulos, the minister said  the government is currently paying rent for 1,299 offices and other properties. Most of these are used as tax offices and police stations. He also said the government recently negotiated a 20 percent reduction in these monthly fees. 

 

Later in the day, a shouting match erupted between Economou and Asterios Rontoulis, a rightwing populist party Laos MP. Rontoulis interrupted the minister, raising his voice in parliament to object to a new amendment excluding diplomats posted abroad from the labour reserve. 

 

“You are ill-mannered,” Economou shouted back. “Fortunately, it’s good you are here so  we can laugh. I can shout louder than you. I see you and laugh.”

 

 

ND deputy Yiorgos Karasmanis called on the government to respond to the issue of compensation for thousands of asparagus producers in Thrace, Macedonia and Central Greece whose crops were damaged in 2009. He asked when they will get paid and how much they stand to get.

 

In other news, Defence Minister Panos Beglitis finally answered a September 28 question tabled by New Democracy MP Spyros Galinos about the new Arma III tactical military simulation game which focuses on Nato operations on the small Greek island of Limnos. Islanders have complained the game could pose a security threat.