The talks between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Vice PresidentEvangelos Venizelos at Maximos Mansion ended at around 11:00 a.m. today, but the two men declined to make announcements to the Press. Samaras and Venizelos discussed the negotiations with the troika of international creditors and Greece’s stance to refuse to accept their strict demands and the presidential elections. The troika seem to insist on their demands, and the most possible outcome is that there will be no agreement and the current bailout program will be extended for another six months.The Euro Working Group gave a deadline of December 14 for the two sides to agree. The Euro zone ministers are considering the extension of Greece’s bailout to six months. An extension seems necessary for Greece in order to get the remaining 1.8 billion euros of the program and secure a support credit line for the period after the program ends. “Although the purpose of the technical extension would be to give more time to the Greek authorities to prepare legislation for adoption in January 2015, the technical extension could be for a longer period to cover for the possibility of delays in the run up to the Greek Presidential elections,” the document prepared for Euro zone ministers said, according to a Reuters report. Meanwhile, analysts say that the coalition is looking to expedite procedures for the election of president of the Hellenic republic, even as early as January 12, 2015. After yesterday’s meeting between President of the Hellenic Republic Carolos Papoulias and Greek Parliament President Evangelos Meimarakis, the government will allegedly announce the proposed candidate after the holidays. Meimarakis admitted that speeding up the process is very possible. According to the Greek Constitution, election procedures can start one month before the end of the presidential term. Papoulias was elected on March 12, 2010. There are up to three ballots. In the first two ballots, 200 votes are needed. On the third ballot, 180 votes are enough to elect president. There should be a five-day period between ballots. If there are not enough votes in three ballots, parliament is dissolved and the country goes to general elections.
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