Yiannis Micheloyiannakis

The debate in Parliament Thursday over an amendment included in a Justice Ministry bill that would impose jail sentence on anyone using force, or threatening to do so, in order to stop auctions of foreclosed properties at courthouses and notary offices, highlighted divisions within the leftist-led coalition.

SYRIZA MP Yiannis Micheloyiannakis, who announced on Saturday that he was going on hunger strike in solidarity with Syrian refugees protesting outside the Greek Parliament in Athens, responded to criticism after he was seen leaving the protest site to have coffee at a nearby establishment.

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.