ATHENS — SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance party leader Alexis Tsipras called on the government to revoke an order which bans public gatherings and rallies nationwide of over four people between November 15-18, speaking to reporters at Parliament on Monday.

The decision affects the annual rally held to commemorate the uprising of Polytechnic students agains the junta on 17, 1973 and was issued as part of standing restrictions against overcrowding amid the pandemic.

The main opposition party leader called the order unconstitutional, and rejected Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' call for a wreath-laying memorial ceremony to be held by party leaders and the Greek President at the Athens Polytethnic on November 17.

Tsipras clarified that Syriza will not be visiting the Athens Polytechnic site on Tuesday, but a five-member party delegation will instead pay a symbolic visit to the buildings of Eleftherias Park where the Military Police interrogated people during the junta in Greece.

A nationwide coronavirus lockdown and overnight curfew is currently in effect across the country until November 30.