European Parliament

SYRIZA MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis has called on European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to explain himself over comments favouring the current government, accusing the former Luxembourg prime minister of “political intervention” in Greece.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is set to get personally involved in the process of trying to convince independent and opposition MPs to elect Stavros Dimas as president, Kathimerini understands.

An Athens court on Friday postponed the trial of Golden Dawn’s Ilias Kasidiaris over charges of attempted grievous bodily harm to March 1st, 2016. The postponement was due to action called by lawyers.

The case centered on charges brought against Kasidiaris by Greek Communist Party (KKE) MP Liana Kanelli, following a televised brawl on June 2012.

Democratic Left (DIMAR) on Tuesday said that it will not be backing the coalition government's candidate for president in three Parliamentary votes expected to start next week.

The party, which split from the coalition last year, said in an announcement that it will not contribute to "the protraction of the political deadlocks being pursued by the present government."

A decision on Monday by Greece's coalition government to move forward the election for a new president constitutes a "significant popular and democratic victory," opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is on a visit to Brussels to hold talks with the heads of the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament.

Opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras on Monday accused the coalition government of stirring "apostasies" over the election of the next president of the republic after the term of incumbent Karolos Papoulias expires in February.

Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, and fellow members from his parliamentary group ALDE, posed an enquiry to the European Commission on the effective application of the principle of free access to the labour market in the EU.

The European Commission of Jean-Claude Juncker survived the vote of no confidence that was held in the European Parliament earlier today.

The new President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker will face a vote of no confidence tabled by right-wing and far-right Eurosceptic parties.