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The statements of SYRIZA deputy Petros Tatsopoulos that in the party "there are people who might sympathise with the ideas of the people from "17 November" provoked sharp reactions in its ranks.

The leadership of the main opposition party in Greece did not hide its discontent and sent a stern warning to the deputy through party secretary Dimitris Vitsas, "Petros Tatsopoulos makes unfortunate statements about things he is not very well aware of but which, as he says, he imagines in a paradoxical way. No one from SYRIZA sympathises with terrorism, from political and ideological point of view."

Tatsopoulos’ words provided ground for New Democracy to renew its accusations towards SYRIZA, namely that the party supports terrorism. Party spokeswoman Anna Assimakopoulou had even presented a list of names of members of the political bureau of the left wing who, according to her, supported the terrorists since the majority of them had appeared in court proceedings as witnesses on the part of those accused of this activity.

Following the attacks by members and supporters of SYRIZA on the social networks, Petros Tatsopoulos wrote, "I have never asked for anyone’s permission, tolerance or support in connection with my public statements, whether somebody has interpreted them in the light of his own perceptions or not. I have repeatedly stated that SYRIZA can strike off my name from the lists of the parliamentary group when it decides that my presence is harmful to it. To help you further and to save you the indignation a strike-off could cause, I have already let Alexis Tsipras decide whether and when to accept my voluntary withdrawal. Good night."

Petros Tatsopoulos is a representative of modern Greek literature. He is in the Greek parliament as a member of the SYRIZA parliamentary group for the first time, without being a member of the party. This is not the first time that he is drawing on himself the discontent of his colleagues in parliament. Only a few months ago he enraged them with the statement that "a potential coalition with part of New Democracy is not a taboo" and in November he said he was not negative towards a SYRIZA coalition with PASOK.

So far, it is unclear whether Alexis Tsipras will exclude Tatsopoulos from the SYRIZA parliamentary group. According to party sources, parliamentarians, the parliamentary secretary of the group and its director, who is a representative of one of the most left-wing parts of the party, will influence his decision.

The conflict may be put to an end without penalties as, since last night, SYRIZA has sought to dispel the impressions caused by the speech of the deputy. Today’s statements of party member Dimitris Papadimoulis are in the same vein too as he said, "The SYRIZA party is different from the others. It does not cut heads but listens to different positions."

Similarly, party secretary Dimitris Vitsas tried to mitigate the events in an interview for To Vima fm radio. "We need to resolve internal issues in a comradely manner. We do not want to appear in the media in such a way, but with positions, opinions and suggestions in opposition to the government and its policies," he said, adding that "the party bodies will decide on the issue with comrade Petros... I have always thought that we are able to find solutions to the problems."