Politics of Greece

There can be no gray zones or equal treatment of perpetrator and victim when it comes to allegations of sexual violence, main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday, commenting on news that a party MEP is facing charges of sexual abuse.

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras visited the naval base on the island of Corfu on Easter Sunday, accompanied by local SYRIZA MP Alexandros Avlonitis, and met with the commanding officer.

Leftist opposition leader Alexis Tsipras once again challenged conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to a televised debate, during a speech in Parliament on Tuesday. 

The SYRIZA leader also commented on the prime minister's absence from what is the final parliamentary session.

The Greek government plans to introduce a legislative provision aimed at blocking the Greek National Party (Ellines), a far-right party founded by former MP Ilias Kasidiaris, from participating in the upcoming elections. 

On Thursday, government spokesperson Ioannis Oikonomou announced that this provision would be added to the final bill to be voted on before Easter. 

The President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, described as "scandalous" the request of Bulgaria to participate in the process of preparing the constitutional changes in the southwestern Balkan country.

The leader of Greece's opposition has promised to legalize same-sex marriage with full parental rights if he wins a general election next month, in a move that would make it the first predominantly Orthodox Christian country to do so.

Alexis Tsipras, who heads the main left-wing opposition party, Syriza, said his government would grant same-sex couples the legal right to marry.

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic said on Friday economic and political relations between Serbia and North Macedonia were steadily improving, especially as a result of the Open Balkan initiative.

BUDAPEST - Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic said on Tuesday in Budapest Serbia and Hungary would invite Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Greece and Turkey to join the construction of a regional high-speed rail line that would first connect Budapest and Belgrade and then also Nis and Presevo, in the south of central Serbia.

"Major change for the country" is coming, main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday, in his first reaction to the calling of the general election on May 21.

"This adventure is coming to an end. Just a few more weeks of patience," he said.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis should be held accountable for the alleged wiretapping of senior officials by the state intelligence service (EYP), leftist SYRIZA opposition chief Alexis Tsipras reiterated on Monday.