After the hype of the last few days, that brought into question the prospects of the present government continuing in power, as well as the ratification of the Prespa agreement by Athens, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his coalition partner Panos Kammenos, have in essence agreed to a mutually convenient path which will not threaten either.
Recapping what was announced today, but has been essentially a prearranged deal, the SYRIZA government will remain in power, with a renewed mandate, despite the criticism of the way this new majority is being created.
SYRIZA itself has 145 deputies, and can count on the positive votes of Citizens Security deputy Minister, Katerina Papacosta, To Potami deputy Spyros Danellis, as well as four Independent Greeks deputies, Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, Agriculture Deputy Minister Vassilis Kokkalis, and deputies Thanassis Papachristopoulos and Costas Zouraris. They add up to the 151 needed for a simple majority in the 300-member Parliament.
Only Panos Kammenos who is Defense Minister and his Deputy Minister Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha, will resign their government posts.
Hence, the math is there for the Greek government to pass the confidence vote, which will take place next Wednesday or Thursday, and continue in power, with a renewed mandate, despite the criticism of the way this new parliamentary majority is being created.
US Embassy to implement the same bribery scheme i.e. the ‘Skopje model’
Six of Kammenos MPs are already in the pocket of Geoffrey Pyatt, the man behind the Ukrainian Coup and the current US Ambassador to Greece. Like his counterpart in Macedonia, Jess Baily, Pyatt has already secured 6 renegade MPs from Kammenos party.
For their vote, they will each receive substantial cash and some even ministerial spots in the Tsipras Government – reports Efimeridia.
