A day after a second Greek cabinet minister resigned in connection with the controversy around the Vatopedi monastery land transactions, Greece's parliament was due on October 24 2008 to debate a resolution by opposition party PASOK to appoint a commission of inquiry into whether specific politicians were involved in the matter.

However, media reports said that the ruling New Democracy party would not take part in the October 24 sitting on the Vatopedi inquiry resolution.

The controversy involves the trading of valuable state land exchanged for less valuable land held by the Vatopedi Orthodox Christian monastery on Mount Athos. It is alleged that the transactions cost the Greek state about 100 million euro.

On October 23, minister of state and government spokesperson Theodoros Roussopoulos, who denies any wrongdoing in connection with the Vatopedi affair, said that he was resigning so as to defend himself against a "malicious and totally groundless attack".

PASOK has alleged that Roussopoulos, deputy foreign minister Petros Dukas and former minister Evangelos Basvakos are linked to the controversy. In September 2008, Giorgos Voulgarakis resigned as merchant marine minister after it was alleged that his wife had acted as a notary in some of the Vatopedi transactions.

Reacting to the Roussopoulos resignation, the office of prime minister Costas Karamanlis said that Karamanlis understood the reasons for the decision and accepted the resignation. Karamanlis said that the decision showed self-respect and political ethics.

A PASOK spokesperson said that this was another ministerial resignation that had come too late and without an acceptance of political responsibility.

The scandal has cost the ruling party popularity in the polls and reportedly has led to internal strife.
 
On October 22, MPs voted to set up an inquiry into the Vatopedi controversy. This inquiry is due to deliver its findings in December. The October 24 vote, for which a secret ballot was proposed, is on a proposal for a parliamentary inquiry to investigate whether specific politicians were involved.