Report from Engymo

Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Nikos Romanos is not only alive but he is also the final winner.

Nikos Romanos has ended his hunger strike following the passage in parliament of an amendment that will allow him to leave prison fitted with an electronic bracelet provided he completes the first six months of his course behind bars.

Prior to the measure being adopted, the President of the Republic spoke on Wednesday morning with the Prime Minister via telephone after speaking with the opposition leader Alexis Tsipras.

The amendment submitted by the Justice Ministry was accepted by all opposition parties in parliament with the first being SYRIZA when Zoe Konstantopoulou announced that the party was withdrawing its demand for a roll call vote on the amendment.

According to the final amendment that was supported by all parties in parliament, students who are imprisoned following convictions or who are remanded in custody on charges including belonging to terrorist groups (as are pending against Romanos who is accused of participating in the domestic anti-establishment group ‘Conspiracy of Fire’) can be granted educational leave and fitted with electronic bracelets provided they have completed the first third of their studies by distance learning.

During a debate in parliament last night, Athanasiou initially rejected proposals submitted by SYRIZA and DIMAR that would allow Romanos and other inmates to leave prison to attend university provided they were fi...