SYRIZA MP on hunger strike over Syrian refugees, Romanos

Outspoken SYRIZA lawmaker Yiannis Micheloyiannakis (photo, center) announced on Saturday that he was going on hunger strike, citing a series of reasons ranging from solidarity for dozens of Syrian refugees who have been protesting outside Parliament, as well as austerity policies and the government’s refusal to grant study furloughs to jailed bank robber and anarchist Nikos Romanos.

“I have decided to go on hunger strike with the Syrians,” the leftist said. He slammed the government for “begging the troika to accept [the measures] that they want to enforce” and for not responding to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutolgu’s stated support for energy resources discovered off Cyprus being shared between the two communities on the divided island.

“Not as an MP but as a Greek citizen, I am unable to understand and to agree to all the above,” Micheloyiannakis said.