Greek PM resigns and calls for snap elections

[BLACKEAGLE]

Greek PM resigns and calls for snap elections

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras listens during a parliamentary session in Athens, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. (AP)

By Reuters | Athens
Thursday, 20 August 2015

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has submitted his resignation and that of his cabinet to President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Thursday, and asked that elections be held on the soonest possible date.

“The present parliament cannot offer a government of majority or a national unity government,” Tsipras told Pavlopoulos during a meeting on Thursday night.

Tsipras effectively lost his majority in the 300-seat Greek parliament after members of his leftist Syriza party broke ranks over a multi-billion euro bailout his government clinched with international lenders this month.

The move came after the leftist leader faced a rebellion in his governing Syriza party over austerity measures demanded in a massive new international bailout worth about 86 billion euros over three years.

Government sources cited by the official news agency ANA said earlier he had proposed elections on September 20.

(With AFP)

Last Update: Thursday, 20 August 2015 KSA 21:22 - GMT 18:22
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2015/08/20/Greek-PM-Tsipras-says-he-is-resigning-calls-for-early-elections.html

 

[Corzhens]

Gee, what a great tragedy for the Greeks. And to think that Greece is one place with a lot of history inside it. And the shipping industry is their hallmark industry where Greek shipping magnates came to be known. If there is someone to be blamed, I guess it is their decision to join the EU where they became a dwarf in the land of the giants. I hope the elections, if it pushes through, will give new life to Greece.