Greek govt survives as minister is cleared

Greece’s parliament cleared a former minister in a corruption probe that had threatened to trigger early elections.

Politicians voted early today against a motion to indict former conservative minister Aristotelis Pavlides.

He had faced allegations that he encouraged a close aide to demand bribes from a ship owner in exchange for a lucrative contract to serve far-flung Aegean Sea islands.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis’ conservative government has a majority of one seat in the 300-member parliament.

Parliament Speaker Dimitris Sioufas announced that 146 politicians voted to indict Pavlides, falling short of the 151 votes required.

Mr Sioufas said 144 voted against the indictment, with eight casting blank or empty ballots and two deputies absent.

Elections are not due until 2011. But Mr Karamanlis’ centre right government has been trailing the opposition Socialists in opinion polls for the past six months – hurt by the international financial crisis and corruption scandals that have prompted four ministers to resign in the last two years.

The Socialists are demanding that Mr Karamanlis hold a general election on June 7, together with a vote for members of the European Parliament.