High court prosecutor requests lifting of immunity for 11 far-right MPs in Greek Parliament

The head of Greece’s supreme court prosecutor’s office on Wednesday requested the lifting of immunity for 11 deputies belonging to the far-right Spartiates party, in order to further investigate whether they’re essentially a “front” and controlled by a jailed one-time Golden Dawn lieutenant.

The development is unprecedented by Greek Parliamentary standards since the restoration of democratic rule in the country in 1974.

The request, formally conveyed to Parliament President Costas Tassoulas by high court prosecutor Georgia Adilini, comes amid a high-profile investigation by the latter into statements made two months ago by the party’s president, Vassilis Stigas.

At the time, Stigas referred to “Greek mafia” practices reminiscent of cinematic “Godfather Don Corleone” to portray efforts, by third parties as he claimed at the time, to manipulate and control the Spartiates parliament group in the 300-MP legislature.

Spartiates is Greek for Spartans.

The top prosecutor’s request towards Parliament charges that the Spartiates party, whose president is Stigas, is essentially supported and controlled by Ilias Kasidiaris, who has also previously served as an elected MP.
The latter remains incarcerated on a conviction, among others, of forming and leading a crime organization, the now defunct Golden Dawn party.

Stigas has also been summoned twice to provide testimony in the ongoing judicial probe.

The lifting of a Parliament deputy’s immunity must be tabled in the plenum and achieve a 50 percent +1 result in order to be achieved.