ATHENS – Debate on a motion of censure against the government opened at Greek Parliament on Friday afternoon with addresses by SYRIZA deputies Dimitris Tzanakopoulos and Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou.

The debate is expected to conclude around 20:00 on Sunday and be followed by a roll-call vote.

The censure motion was introduced on Thursday by Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras, who said that a series of crises like the pandemic, price hikes, and snowstorm management “prove that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his government are ineffective and dangerous for the country.”

Besides ministers, enrolled speakers total 220 deputies: 108 from ruling New Democracy, 70 from Syriza, 17 from Movement for Change (KINAL), 12 from the Communist Party of Greece, 5 from Greek Solution, 6 from MeRA25 and 3 independents.

On Friday evening, six ministers addressed Parliament: Ministers Takis Theodorikakos (Citizen Protection), Kostis Hatzidakis (Labor), Makis Voridis (Interior), and Alternate Ministers Mina Gaga (Health), Miltiadis Varvitsiotis (Foreign Affairs), and Stelios Petsas (Interior).

In order for the motion of censure to be accepted, it must be approved by the absolute majority of the 300 deputies. If it fails to be approved, six months need to pass before a new one may be submitted, according to Greek parliamentary rules.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was in Parliament on Friday afternoon, on the first day of debate over the motion for censure tabled by main opposition SYRIZA.

Mitsotakis attended the address of Citizen Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos in plenary and spoke with ruling New Democracy deputies at the Parliament lounge.

“Syriza’s proposal was something we expected,” he said. “They provide an opportunity to highlight our policy. Syriza is going after polarization. We will not oblige them. We are implementing our policies, doing our job, and focus on citizens,” he added.