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Greece squeezes election budget as municipal workers' union threatens to strike

Xinhua, January 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Greece has further squeezed election costs for the forthcoming Jan. 25 general polls compared to previous elections, according to figures released Tuesday by the Interior Ministry.

According to a press release, the Greek state is expected to spend about 45 million euros (about 53 million U.S. dollars) for running the snap elections. Included in this budget is compensation for public servants who are working on election day, such as policemen.

By contrast, in the double elections of 2012, the budget stood at 70 million euros in the first round and 48 million euros in the second round.

The state has allocated 4 million euros to political parties for their election campaigns. In 2009, this budget stood at more than 17 million euros.

The 2009 general polls, which were held just two months before the country fell into a severe debt crisis, cost Greek taxpayers more than 80 million euros.

The announcement was made amidst threats from the municipal employees' union, POE-OTA, to strike in the coming days, a move which could disrupt the elections as municipal workers help set up polling stations, clean the voting centers and guard election material.

The trade union is demanding back pay for the 2012 general elections, the May 2014 local administration and European Parliament elections. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars) Endit