"Green" leaks during the biodiversity bill vote

Mrs. Vasso Papandreou voted against the amendment bill for biodiversity that prohibits construction in areas outside urban planning with a terra firma slope of 40%.

Mrs.  Papandreou’s action comes as no surprise to those familiar with the background and the long history behind it…  Specifically, former Minister of the Aegean, Mr. Nikos Sifounakis had banned building in island areas with a slope of 35%, during his tenure between 2000-2004.

A few months later, however, Mrs. Papandreou as Environment Minister annulled the decree.

Today, Mr. Sifounakis, as deputy Environment Minister, has brought forth an amendment to reinstate that ban. In an effort to appease the dissenters, he changed the threshold gradient from 35% to 40% late last night.

It appears that Mrs. Papandreou cannot accept any half-measures, since during today’s roll call vote on the biodiversity articles bill she voted against the ban.

Her example was followed by Mr. Papamanolis, a Cyclades parliament representative for PASOK.