As a “very important victory” for the political system of our country and a “very special moment”, the Minister of the Interior, Niki Kerameos, described the passing of the bill for the lifting of restrictions on registration in the special lists of foreign voters. During the last meeting of the competent parliamentary committee, during which the bill was passed by a large majority (ND, PASOK, Spartans, Niki, Pleussi Eleftherias) Ms. Kerameos spoke about a very special moment, since after half a century of discussion, we are now in a position to lift the restrictions on the voting of Greeks abroad, to send a message and say to expatriate Greeks: “Vote. Exercise the right to vote without restrictions.”

“It is a very important victory of the political system, of the Parliament, of Greece. Because that’s what it’s about. Here, we are one fist as a political system, one voice, to get a message across and say ‘Let’s not let this historic opportunity slip away’. And this is what we ask of you as a government: Do not miss this historic opportunity, to have the greatest possible consensus, because everything has its importance in lifting the restrictions and, for the first time, after 48 years, a Greek citizen registered in the lists, can vote without any restrictionssaid the responsible minister to the House.

He specifically addressed the Greek Solution, to point out that in the previous four years he had a consistent attitude, since he said that there should be no restriction on the exercise of the right to vote and today that a bill is coming, which removes all restrictions on the exercise of the right to vote, the party of Kyriakos Velopoulos, does not comply with it. Prompted by the report of the party’s rapporteur, Pavlos Sarakis, that the system of the External Regions should be implemented, Ms. Kerameos read an earlier statement by Kyriakos Velopoulos, in which the same request (from SYRIZA at the time) was described as “ridiculous”.

“‘SYRIZA requests that the vote of the Expatriates be counted only – it says – in four Regions and not in the Territory. What could be more ridiculous than that as an argument? I mean, how will this be done? How is this possible? How can this happen; It’s unbelievable what these people are asking for’, the president of the Hellenic Solution had said during the previous parliamentary term, while today he is asking for the samesaid the Minister of the Interior.

“I really believe there is a framework of consent. And there is a framework of consensus with the Greek Solution as well, because the Greek Solution has had a consistent position for four years, which says to lift the restrictions“, Ms. Kerameos emphasized in conclusion.

The bill is introduced to the plenary on Monday, when speeches by the prime minister and political leaders are expected, and after two meetings it is to be voted on on Tuesday.