Socialist PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis has suspended Xanthi lawmaker Burhan Baran pending accusations he faces of professional misconduct.
The case involves allegations that the lawmaker, a psychiatrist by profession, was illegally prescribing drugs within his medical capacity.
A PASOK statement said Mr. Baran’s suspension would remain in effect until judicial proceedings against him are clarified and cleared. The allegations surfaced from Parliament’s ethics committee which is due to discuss the lawmaker's case today.
The MP’s suspension – he will remain an independent MP until the case clears – skims PASOK’s numbers in parliament, reducing its hold to 31 within the 300-seat House.
Party officials say the case of Mr. Baran marks a stark reminder of challenges that political entities face in maintaining integrity and public trust.