Communist Party of Greece

Opposition New Democracy has a 9-point lead over ruling SYRIZA in the upcoming European Parliament elections, according to a new public opinion poll published on Thursday.

Athens-based journalist Vassilis Lyritzis, known for his lively and critical coverage of the news on television and radio, died in the early hours of Tuesday at the age of 62.

Michalis Kostarakos, the former chairman of the Greek Joint Chiefs of Staff, has lambasted the SYRIZA government over its handling of foreign policy and national issues in a lengthy post on his Facebook account.

SYRIZA is trailing New Democracy by 14.5 percentage points, according to a new survey carried out by Public Issue which was released Wednesday.

According to the survey, which was carried out from 1 to 14 February, 39 percent of respondents said they would vote for the conservative opposition compared to 24.5 percent for the incumbent leftists.

The New Democracy party has a 5.5 point lead over SYRIZA according to a survey of voter intentions by the Prorata polling company published in the leftist Efimerida ton Syntakton newspaper on Saturday.

The conservative opposition received 30 percent against 24.5 percent for the ruling leftist party.

Opposition New Democracy enjoys a 14-point lead over incumbent SYRIZA in a poll of polls conducted by the European Parliament ahead of elections for representatives at the bloc's legislative body on May 23-26.

Members of the Greek Communist party (KKE) hold placards during a rally against the Prespes deal, near the United States embassy, background, in Athens, Thursday. Greek lawmakers are debating a historic agreement aimed at normalizing relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in a stormy parliamentary session scheduled to culminate in a Friday vote. [Michael Varaklas/AP]

Supreme Court prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou has ordered an investigation into claims by the Greek Communist Party (KKE) on Monday that the telephones at its Athens headquarters in the district of Perissos have been wiretapped, the state-run news agency ANA-MPA reported.

Resistance fighter, lawyer and writer Vardis Vardinoyiannis died on Wednesday, aged 97.

Vardinoyiannis had joined and played a leading role at the Cretan Resistance in the Second World War, fought in the Greek Civil War and joined the resistance during the military dictatorship of 1967-1974.

Conservative opposition New Democracy holds a solid lead over ruling leftist SYRIZA, according to a public opinion poll conducted by Metron Analysis for newspaper Ta Nea, published on Saturday.