Greece, the Bundestag votes on new aid. Schaeuble: irresponsible to say no – The Messenger

It ‘started at 9am as planned debate in the German Bundestag (the lower house) met in extraordinary session, on the third floor of aid to Greece for a total of approximately 86 billion over three years.

The plan and the request for voting in favor are presented by the German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, who opened the debate, and that last night, at the meeting of the parliamentary groups of the governing coalition supported with determination and “fully convinced” of the need for a yes by the Bundestag on the ground.

In the ‘proof’ of voting, 56 deputies have announced a vote against four others want to abstain. The green light is, however, almost obvious since the grand coalition (CDU / CSU plus SPD) led by Angela Merkel can count on 504 seats out of a total of 631 in the Bundestag. This is the second extraordinary session of the Bundestag, which drew parliamentarians from vacation, after that of July 17, when the House gave the green light to start negotiations on a third bailout. Then, 60 of the 311 MPs of the center-right Union (CDU / CSU), voted against the request to open negotiations.

“It would be irresponsible not to use the opportunity of a new beginning »for Greece, Schaeuble said that addressing the German parliamentarians asked:” Vote for the approval “of aid. The minister also stressed that “Greece change is recognizable.” Schaeuble said that “of course there is no guarantee that everything will work and there is no doubt”, in the light of past experience, but also found – and more than once, in his speech – which in Greece is the line changed profoundly.

“Most of the major measures, this is new, have already been approved by parliament greek,” he said. And speaking of the turn of the government of Alexis Tsipras, the austere Minister Angela Merkel insisted “the change is evident, tangible, someone said it feels like another world.” Schaeuble also mentioned that Tsipras promised his voters that they could avoid the sacrifices and reforms that are “inevitable.” Now “should do the opposite of what it promised,” he said in another passage of his speech.

“For the German government it is essential that the IMF remains at the table with its experts “, he added. “A new participation of the IMF is essential also financially,” he specified Schaeuble, in another passage of his speech to the Bundestag, about the fund headed by Christine Lagarde.