MPs vote to suspend state funding to Golden Dawn
Parliament voted in a roll call ballot on Wednesday to suspend state funding to neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. The motion was backed by 241 out of 272 deputies, while 26 voted against. Five MPs abstained.
The motion was rejected by about half of Independent Greeks deputies as well as Manolis Glezos, a SYRIZA MP and WWII resistance fighter.
“The violators of Christian values, the distorters of Ancient Greek and all those who tried to corrode Greek society must not be battled with decisions, but politically,” Glezos said.
Speaking ahead of the vote, GD spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris described the party as a pillar of democracy and the judicial system.
In October Greek MPs voted to cut off state funding to political parties if their leaders or a tenth of their lawmakers are charged with involvement in a “criminal organization” or “acts of terrorism.”
GD leader Nikos Michaloliakos and a number of its MPs are currently facing court charges for operating as a criminal organization.
The party was due to receive 873,000 euros in state funding this year.
