Greece sets June 17 as new parliament election dateMay 16, 2012 - 21:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Greece will hold new parliamentary polls on June 17 and a court official will head an interim government until then, state television said on Wednesday, May 16, RIA Novosti reported. Council of State head Panagiotis Pikramenos will be appointed interim prime minister, state television said. Communist Party leader Aleka Papariga told journalists party leaders had agreed that the interim government would not be able to commit the crisis-struck country to any international agreements. She was speaking after a meeting of party leaders called by President Karolos Papoulias. The decision on the new polls comes after no party was left with a majority in parliament following May 6 elections as voters turned their backs on established parties over the country’s financial crisis. Nine-days of power-sharing talks were unsuccessful. Greece is expected to introduce more unpopular austerity measures next month to meet targets agreed on its bailout deal with other Eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia-Azerbaijan: Turkey wants deal after “positive developments” Turkey hopes “positive developments” in negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan will lead to an agreement. Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. |