PM to speak to party leaders about dissent in ranks

Page last updated at 03:58 GMT, Thursday, January 26, 2012 - 08:58 EST

eKathimerini:

All photographs come from the aforementioned news sources, and full copyright ownership is maintained by those sources. This site uses the images purely for reference to the original source and educational purposes, and does not profit in any way from their use.

Prime Minister Lucas Papademos will speak to the leaders of the three parties that make up his coalition government, sources said on Wednesday, after rebel MPs blocked the liberalization of pharmacy opening hours, which is one of many reforms that Greece has to pass to qualify for further loans from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

The resistance shown by the deputies, mostly from PASOK, came a few hours before Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos wrapped up two days of talks with representatives of Greece’s lenders, known as the troika, who are in Athens for their latest inspection.

Sources suggested that Papademos was disappointed by the MPs’ reactions and would make it clear to PASOK chief George Papandreou, New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras and Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) president Giorgos Karatzaferis that all three parties will have to get squarely behind the reform legislation that needs to be passed before the premier heads for an EU leaders’ summit on January 30.

Read the whole story: eKathimerini