Greece lifts immunity of 3 neo-Nazi lawmakers

The Greek parliament has voted to take away the legal immunity of a number of its legislators from the Golden Dawn Party, which is reportedly linked to the nation’s neo-Nazi groups.

The Wednesday vote took place amid ongoing investigations into the apparent assassination of a Greek anti-fascist musician in September, AFP reports. 

The three legislators affiliated with the neo-Nazi groups have been identified as George Germenis, Efstathios Boukouras and Panagiotis Iliopoulos, and are expected to lose their immunity from prosecution so that they can face criminal charges in court.

The passage of the motion was virtually unanimously. Golden Dawn lawmakers walked out prior to the vote. 

The government, meanwhile, argues that the party operates as a criminal institution. Three other top party members, including its leader, have been jailed pending trial on charges of running or participating in a criminal group. 

This is while the spokesman for the racist party, Ilias Kassidiaris, as well as two other MPs, Ilias Panagiotaros and Chrysovalantis Alexopoulos will be called to respond to lesser charges, a process that also requires parliamentary approval. 

While Greece was falling into a financial depression, Golden Dawn rose from a fringe group to win 18 of Parliament's 300 seats in 2012 elections; despite widespread accusations it organizes attacks on immigrants and political opponents. 

(PRESSTV MFB/PR)