Greek Government survives vote

Press, 20 December 1988, Page 8

Greek Government survives vote

NZPA-Reuter Athens

The Socialist Government of the Greek Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou, hit by economic scandals and high-level resignations, survived a crucial budget debate yesterday, ensuring Mr Papandreou will go on ruling the country. On the eve of the debate, Mr Papandreou said he regarded the Budget vote as an expression of confidence for his Government, six months before national elections are to be held.

If the Budget is not passed the Government will resign,” Mr Papandreou said in a televised statement on Saturday.

All 156 Deputies of Papandreou’s ruling PASOK party voted for the bill. The Government had needed 151 votes in the 300-seat Parliament. In mid-October a

SUS2OO million (SNZ3O7 million) scandal broke at the privately owned Bank of Crete and two senior Government members — the Justice Minister, Agamemnon Koutsoyorgas, and Pub-

lic Order Minister, Anastassios Sehiotis, resigned over the handling of the case. In early December a scandal broke in the State-owned Greek Arms Industry (E.V.0.) concerning commission payments of six million dollars to non-existent companies for ammunition sales to Iraq.

Both scandals are under investigation. The 69-year-old leader’s affair with Dimitra Liani, a woman half his age, has also caused controversy in Greece.