Parliament Passes 2014 budget

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Greek Parliament passed the 2014 budget with a majority vote in the early hours of Sunday. The Parliament with 153 votes in favor, 142 against and one present vote, ratified the government's budget which envisages the return of the Greek economy to positive growth rates after five years of deep recession.

All opposition parties voted against the budget, along with all independent deputies with the exception of George Kasapidis, who voted present. New Democracy deputy Aris Spiliotopoulos was absent from the vote as he was on a trip to the United States for a NATO meeting.

Speaking to reporters, shortly after the vote in Parliament, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that the 2014 budget "was a budget of recovery, prospect and hope". "The voting (of the budget) is a very positive step," the Prime Minister stressed. (AMNA)