Ilias Kasidiaris due in court over 2007 incident
Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris is due to appear in court on Monday but not for punching a Communist Party (KKE) candidate during a TV talk show last week, as police failed to arrest him within the 48-period allowed by the warrant.
Kasidiaris eluded arrest until the warrant expired on Saturday. There were reports that he attended the opening of a Golden Dawn office in Piraeus on the same day. Kasidiaris was wanted for punching KKE?s Liana Kanelli and throwing water at SYRIZA?s Rena Dourou.
Authorities only had 48 hours to arrest Kasidiaris so he could be fast-tracked through the courts. Instead, the neo-Nazi party spokesman is due to go on trial on Monday in relation to an incident in 2007, when he allegedly drove a car carrying several people who attacked a student. He denies the charges.
Panayiotis Psomiadis, the ex-governor of Central Macedonia who is coordinating New Democracy?s election campaign in northern Greece, drew criticism from SYRIZA on Saturday over comments about Golden Dawn.
?Personally, I?m not bothered by Chrysi Avgi, apart from any extreme behavior, which I condemn,? Psomiadis reportedly told journalists in Thrace. He was brought back into the ND fold for these elections despite losing his post last year after being found guilty of canceling a fine for a gas station while he was Thessaloniki prefect.
Psomiadis reportedly said ND would perform well in Thrace as it was attracting support from ?sibling center-right parties? such as Democratic Alliance, Independent Greeks, Drasi and Chrysi Avgi. He added that he was in talks with members of the far-right party in a bid to convince them to move to ND.
SYRIZA said Psomiadis?s comments ?can only fill with fear citizens with the slightest democratic sensitivities.?
