Ex-Golden Dawn cadre dishes dirt on party’s political goals
The criminal trial against the leadership and members of neo-Nazi Golden Dawn continued on Friday at an Athens court with the testimony of a former official of the party who provided judges with an insight into its operation and aims.
According to Ilias Stavrou, a lawyer and former cadre of GD who left the party shortly after its leadership was arrested in September 2013, the party operated according to a strict Nazi-inspired ideology and “had as its aim the installation of a one-party state and the abolition of any form of parliamentary procedures.”
Stavrou underlined the absolute authority of GD leader Nikos Michaloliakos, noting that all attacks by members of GD against migrants or critics were carried out on orders from him or his direct subordinates.
As regards the operation of the neo-Nazi group, Stavrou said its top officials “tried to infiltrate the police and the army and to be close to the Church.” He is to continue his testimony on Monday.
On Saturday night, anti-fascist groups are organizing a march from central Athens to GD’s offices on Mesogeion Avenue to mark four years since the murder of leftist rapper Pavlos Fyssas by self-professed Golden Dawn member Giorgos Roupakias. The march is to begin at Syntagma Square at 6 p.m.
