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Greek gov't submits vote of confidence proposal

07 October 2014 01:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The Greek government has formally submitted a proposal Monday for a vote of confidence to be conducted later this week when the parliament's regular plenary session opens after the summer holidaysm, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The proposal was submitted to Hellenic Parliament Speaker Evangelos Meimarakis.

The debate is scheduled to start on Wednesday and the vote is expected to be held at midnight on Friday.

Despite a slim parliamentary majority of 154 seats in the 300-member-strong assembly, the conservatives-led ruling coalition with the socialists is expected to easily win.

Political analysts in Athens see the surprise confidence vote, which was announced last week, as an attempt by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to put an end to speculations of early general elections in the coming weeks and months.

"It will be a good year for Greece; a year of stability, growth and reduction of unemployment," Samaras said at the parliament, another clear sign that he does not intend to call elections soon.

The main opposition -- Coalition of the Radical Left (or SYRIZA) -- insists on the conduction of snap polls two years after the June 2012 national elections, when the elections for the new President of the Republic will take place.

Under Greece's constitution, the Head of the State needs the votes of at least 180 deputies in the parliament.

The government has stressed that the election process for Karolos Papoulias' successor will start in February 2015, a month before the outgoing President's term expires, as dictated by the constitution.