Gov’t, SYRIZA in bid to find common proposal on state funding ahead of Golden Dawn debate
Interior Minister Yiannis Michelakis and the head of leftist SYRIA’s parliamentary group, Nikos Voutsis, were to meet on Tuesday in a bid to find a common proposal regarding party funding ahead of a debate in Parliament scheduled for Thursday when MPs are to discuss whether, and how, to stop state funding for political parties linked to criminal activities.
In a bid to curb the activities of ultra-right Golden Dawn, the government wants to pass legislation that stops state financing to all parties whose leaders or MPs are charged with crimes while SYRIZA has favored a milder version, suggesting that money should be cut off only in the case of convictions.
On Wednesday, MPs are to vote on whether to lift the immunity of six Golden Dawn MPs facing a string of different charges.
The parliamentary debate scheduled for Thursday is also expected to focus on the appointment of a higher-ranking magistrate to take over the investigation into the criminal activities being linked to Golden Dawn.
