Greece Could Change Election Date, Says Opposition Leader

The date of the early parliamentary elections in Greece, tentatively scheduled for February 2012, may be changed, a leader of the conservative New Democracy party said.

The elections were tentatively scheduled for February 19, 2012. Under the Greek law, the elections should take place no later than in October 2013.

“If the events develop slower or faster, the elections may take place a bit earlier or later,” New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said in an interview with the To Vima daily.

Members of the center right New Democracy along with the leftist Pasok and the small far-right Laos party comprise the country’s transitional coalition government, which took oath in November. The previous government had to resign amid a political crisis sparked by an idea to hold a referendum on further domestic spending cuts.

In the interview, Samaras reiterated his support for the coalition government led by Lucas Papademos.

“I want this government to be successful in its mission. Let Papademos do his job and then Greece will move forward with the government vested with full legitimacy confirmed in a popular vote,” Samaras said.

Opinion polls show Samaras and his party currently have the highest rating among all political forces in the country.

The IMF and the European Union approved a 110-bln euro ($150 bln) bailout loan for Greece in May 2010.

At the end of October, eurozone leaders clinched a deal with private banks and insurers to write off 50 percent of Greece’s debt, which currently stands at over 360 billion euros or 160 percent of the country’s GDP, in exchange for a new austerity program, which Greece must implement in the next few years to get financial aid and prevent a default.