The father of hunger striker Nikos Romanos met with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at 11am on Monday, with the meeting concluding shortly before noon.
After the meeting Giorgos Romanos commented that “no solution” was found and that “the government told me that they would debate the matter again to find a solution. What I am asking is for my child’s demand to be accepted. Nikos will continue the hunger strike”.
The Minister of Justice Charalambos Athanasiou was also present at the meeting and is said to have urged Mr. Romanos to have his son apply for a replacement of his temporary detention, in relation to the other cases for which he is still on trial.
Romanos, who began his hunger strike on the 10th of November after being refused an educational leave, issued a response via his lawyer and objected to the meeting. He states that there is no need for an appointment for “situations that Samaras is aware of and endorses”.
The Minister of Health Makis Voridis stated that the national healthcare systems ESY is providing Romanos with the healthcare he requires in order to safeguard his life. The Minister of Justice Charalambos Athanasiou called Romanos to end his hunger strike after submitting an amendment for distance learning.
Romanos’ attorney, Frangiskos Ragousis, commented that the distance learning amendment is «a prison cell within a prison cell«. Romanos’ father has asked for the amendment to provide a viable solution «rather than being a guillotine or merely describing prisoner rights«.
On Monday Mr. Ragousis told Mega Channel that only his father would attend the Monday morning meeting, in order to support his son’s claim. According to Mr. Ragousis, Romanos is prepared to begin a thirst strike as well, as he believes that the amendment will seal the fate of prisoner rights.
The attorney further underlined that educational leaves have even been granted to prisoners on life sentences and that his client “does not have blood on his hands”.
