November 10, 2011
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and other party leaders began talks with President Karolos Papoulias after squabbles over a new premier pushed unity government plans into disarray, undermining a bid to secure bailout funds needed to prevent a financial collapse.
“This is the third meeting I’m attending,” Antonis Samaras, leader of the opposition New Democracy party, told reporters as he arrived at the presidential palace in Athens today. “I hope it’s the last one.”
Samaras, Papandreou and opposition LAOS party leader George Karatzaferis are attending the meeting on the fourth day of wrangles over a unity government. Papandreou was poised to resign yesterday after he told the nation in a televised address the parties had agreed on a new government that will secure international financing for the country.
Papandreou didn’t name a new prime minister in his speech. Greece’s two biggest political parties agreed to name parliament speaker Filippos Petsalnikos to head the government, To Vima newspaper reported, without saying how it got the information. Earlier media reports suggested that former European Central Bank Vice President Lucas Papademos would become premier.
Papademos will soon join today’s meeting, NET TV reported, without citing anyone.
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