Vote on Prespes name deal expected to take place on Thursday night

A vote on the Prespes name deal is expected to take place in Greece's Parliament on Thursday night with debate to start at committee level on Monday afternoon before moving to the plenary, House speaker Nikos Voutsis said Monday.

The decision was preceded by much debate about the composition of the foreign affairs committee which is to examine the accord before it goes to the plenary session in view of several recent changes involving MPs switching leaving the Potami and Movement for Change parties.

As a result, Spyros Danellis, who was ejected from Potami for backing the government in last week's confidence vote, is to sit on the committee as an independent.

Independent Greeks (ANEL) leader Panos Kammenos, who quit the coalition on January 13, is to replace ANEL MP Konstantinos Katsikis as the party's representative on the panel.

Following the ejection of Thanassis Theoharopoulos from KINAL, the party's second seat on the committee is to be filled by an independent to be chosen by lot.

With the current balance in the committee, 28 MPs are in favor of the deal with 27 against.