By George Georgiopoulos and Dina Kyriakidou
ATHENS, March 26 (Reuters) – Greece’s main socialist opposition submitted a censure motion in parliament against the conservative government on Wednesday over pension reforms that have prompted a wave of strikes and protests.
The move is unlikely to topple the government, as it requires 151 votes in the 300-seat house to pass, but will delay the final procedural steps before the contested law takes effect.
“Enough is enough,” said socialist opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou. “I am submitting a censure motion against the prime minister and his government.”
The socialists blasted the conservative government for its pension law but also on what they said were austere policies against the working class.
“This is not what Greeks asked for on September 16 (election date). They asked for dignity, security, meritocracy and respect … and you have offered daily scandals,” Papandreou said.
The government’s pension reform law was passed with 152 votes — from 151 conservative and one independent MPs — on Thursday.
It affects mostly women and in particular working mothers. It merges scores of funds into just 13, cuts many special and supplementary pensions and offers incentives to work more years.
The government has defended its reforms saying they aim to reform a social security system experts say would collapse in 15 years if left unchanged.
Greece, one of several European countries facing a pension crisis due to an ageing population, has been urged by Brussels to revamp its fragmented, wasteful and mismanaged social security system.
The conservatives, accused of making a u-turn on their pledges not to raise the retirement age or cut benefits, responded by saying they welcomed the challenge.
“This gives our government a unique opportunity to present our great work, the great reforms, the great changes we have made recently,” Culture Minister Michael Liapis told parliament.
Labour unions, whose strikes have disrupted daily life for weeks, say the reforms only curtail benefits without making the system viable. Protests have caused blackouts, left mountains of garbage in the street, disrupted transport and services and shut down stock and bond trading for days.
The censure motion will be discussed in parliament for three days before a confidence vote late on Friday.
