Alpha News

MP Sykas to Challenge DISY's Decision to Remove Him from Ballot

Published January 23, 2026, 08:36

MP Nikos Sykas intends to appeal to the Supreme Constitutional Court against the decision of the Democratic Rally (DISY) to remove him from the ballot following an allegation of assault. His lawyer, Christos Pourgouridis, stated that Mr. Sykas has provided a detailed statement to the police and believes the DISY's decision violates the presumption of innocence and the natural rules of justice. He points out that he was not given the opportunity to be heard before the decision was made, and the investigation could have been delegated to an Ethics Committee. Mr. Pourgouridis criticized DISY's focus on the aspect of the police investigation of the complaint, rather than the substance of the case. He considered the party's reference to the lifting of parliamentary immunity to be comical, as the decision to exclude him from the ballot was made before any judicial ruling. He argued that the decision should have been left to the judgment of the voters, who may not be as sensitive as the party leadership. He emphasized that innocence cannot be in the hands of everyone and that complaints often prove to be unfounded. According to the lawyer, Mr. Sykas has not confessed to the allegation in his statement, nor has he said anything that would justify the party's decision. The case is expected to develop legally, with the MP seeking to overturn DISY's decision.