Ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn leader Nikos Mihaloliakos inserted a distinctly darker tone to the ongoing pre-election period in the country on Thursday by saying his party assumes the “political responsibility” for the stabbing death of an anti-fascist rapper  almost two years ago to the day.

Mihaloliakos, whose numerous critics describe GD (Chyssi Avgi) as a genuine neo-Nazi movement that emerged from obscurity amid the economic crisis, nevertheless eschewed any criminal liability for the murder.

The man accused of slaying Pavlos Fyssas was a district leader for Golden Dawn in the working-class Keratsini district, where the crime occurred.

The killing led to a police crackdown on the extremist political group and generated numerous felony charges against practically all of the party’s top leadership, including against Mihaloliakos. The most severe charge is founding and running a criminal organization.

A trial is pending against several GD MPs.

Political parties across the ideological spectrum issued unequivocal condemnations of Mihaloliakos and his party.