The Greek Parliament on Wednesday voted to strip Golden Dawn (GD) leader Nikos Mihaloliakos and deputies Christos Pappas and Yiannis Lagos of their immunity from prosecution.
During a roll-call vote, in which Golden Dawn and Independent Greeks deputies did not participate, 223 MPs voted in favor of stripping the three of their immunity so they might stand trial on charges against them. Independent MP Nikos Nikolopoulos voted “present”.
The decision paves the way for the pressing of additional charges against the three GD deputies for possession of firearms and ammunition.

Nikos Michaloliakos’ speech

“You are a sad minority government, you put me into prison for no reason. I’m an unrepentant nationalist and proud member of the Golden Dawn and you will never change me,” declared today the leader of far-right party Golden Dawn at the Greek Parliament, addressing the plenum regarding the new immunity lift requests for him and another two Golden Dawn MPs.

The three MPs arrived in three separate vehicles, under heavy security measures at the Greek Parliament, located at Syntagma Square.

The moment Nikos Michaloliakos entered the parliament building, relatives and GD supporters rushed to meet him, chanting slogans urging Michaloliakos to expose and ridicule the “system”.

When he was approached by members of the Parliament Guard, Michaloliakos shouted at them: “Don’t you dare touch me.”

During his speech, Mr. Michaloliakos said, inter alia:

– You are a sad minority government, you put me into prison for no reason. I’m an unrepentant nationalist and proud member of the Golden Dawn and you will never change me
– You are guilty of orchestrating a political conspiracy, manufacturing charges based on poll results
– I do not fear prison, my handcuffs are a badge of honor
– You were searching for an “arsenal”, what did you find?
– Where is the black money you were talking about?
– You haven’t done anything to find the murderers of Kapelonis and Fountouli (Golden Dawn members)
– I met Baltakos as a student in 1973. I Know him better than anyone
– Corrupt newspapers published fake memorandums of Golden Dawn.
– In the European Elections referendum you received 31%, 2% less than former King of Greece (at the referendum of 1946 to abolish monarchy). You should leave, you are not welcome here.

Michaloliakos also claimed that in the mobile phone that was confiscated when he was arrested there were contact numbers and calls from Yorgos Mouroutis, the head of the prime minister’s press office.”

Mr. Mouroutis immediately responded through a post on Facebook and denied ever having met Mr. Michaloliakos or any other member of the Golden Dawn party, characterizing the GD leader’s claim as the lowest slur he has ever heard.

In his speech addressing the plenum, Golden Dawn MP Yannis Lagos also spoke of unfounded allegations, unjust detention and lack of evidence.

“8.5 months ago they were dragging us around in handcuffs, thinking they would scare us into denying we are members of the Golden Dawn,” he said addressing the MPs, adding that “You won’t get rid of us that easy, we are proud people and above all loyal to our purpose. He then spoke of manufactured charges. “There won’t be a trial, you have no evidence. You will be a laughing stock,” he said. “You accuse me of committing crimes in the name of the Golden Dawn with the single gun you found on me. This is how low you have sunk,” he also stressed, adding that “you accuse me of having at my house a pistol and two flares”.

Regarding the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, a Greek anti-fascist rapper, by members if the Golden Dawn that shook the entire nation, he claimed to have no involvement. More specifically, he said: “I am being accused of instructing Patelis [head of Golden Dawn’s Nikaia branch] to instruct another person to instruct another person to commit the execution. I am being punished for being a Regional Governor candidate of the Golden Dawn.”