ATHENS – The furlough granted to 17 November hitman Dimitris Koufodinas is “inconceivable”, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday, commenting on news that the jailed terrorist has received his second 48-hour furlough, starting on Friday.

“The furloughs to Koufodina are, for New Democracy and me personally, inconceivable. Not just because he hasn’t shown the least remorse for his cold-blood assassinations, but because he remains the ideological leader of a new generation of terrorists,” he said.

Mitsotakis criticizes the government over the “unacceptable” so-called “Paraskevopoulos law”, named after the minister who introduced it, which he says has allowed “the mass release of hardened criminals” and at the same time changed the provision on granting furloughs “to benefit even terrorists.” He then reiterated his pledge to completely abolish the relevant law as soon as his party comes to power.

“Democracy doesn’t take revenge, but has to defend itself against those who undermine it. Tolerance towards them has to be zero. With respect to the memory of the victims of terrorism and their families we say enough!” he added.

Convicted terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas has been granted a second two-day furlough from Korydallos prison, authorities announced on Thursday.

Koufodinas, who is sentenced to 16 times life imprisonment, will be allowed to leave the prison at 09:00 on Friday and must return in two days.

The notorious gunman and assassin of the terror group 17 November, Koufodinas received his first furlough from the prison Council two months ago, a decision that caused a stir and provoked strong reactions from the families of the terror group’s victims in Greece, as well as the governments of other countries whose citizens were among its victims.