Greece Suspends State Financing for Far-Right Party
By NIKI KITSANTONIS Published: October 22, 2013
ATHENS — Greece [ http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/greece/index.html ]’s Parliament voted early Wednesday to suspend state financing for political parties whose leaders or elected officials are charged with serious crimes, part of a continuing effort to rein in the neo-fascist Golden Dawn, which is under investigation on charges involving murder, blackmail and other offenses.
After several hours of heated debate, the measure passed with 235 votes in the 300-seat House. It garnered the support of the conservative-led coalition; all but two lawmakers from the main leftist opposition party, Syriza; and a small leftist party. The two Syriza lawmakers who broke ranks were prominent, and their decision could create tension in that party.
Addressing Parliament before the vote, Golden Dawn’s spokesman, Ilias Kasidiaris, who is among the lawmakers who have been charged, called the bill “illegal and unconstitutional” and “a coarse violation of the right to be assumed innocent before proven guilty.”
The bill stipulates the indefinite suspension of state financing for parties whose leadership, or one-fifth of their lawmakers, are charged with terrorism or membership in a criminal group. It had been expected to pass easily despite concerns by some opposition lawmakers that the governing coalition, which has a slim majority, could try to use the legislation to target other parties.
Last week, Parliament lifted the immunity [ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/world/europe/greeces-parliament-lifts-immunity-for-lawmakers-charged-with-crimes.html (the post to which this is a reply)] of six Golden Dawn lawmakers, paving the way for prosecutors to bring a range of charges against them. The party leader, Nikos Michaloliakos, and two other senior members of Parliament are in custody on charges of belonging to a criminal organization. Another Golden Dawn lawmaker was released after being arrested last month.
The authorities began the crackdown after a series of violent assaults linked to party members and supporters that culminated last month in the fatal stabbing of an anti-fascist rapper by a professed party supporter.
Wednesday’s decision was another step toward draining Golden Dawn of power. Since it emerged from obscurity and entered Parliament in the summer of 2012, the party has received about 500,000 euros, or close to $700,000, in state financing.
Golden Dawn’s coffers also reportedly received 200,000 euros, or about $275,000, from the salaries of its 18 members of Parliament, a 20 percent donation that Mr. Michaloliakos is said to have demanded.
Golden Dawn is thought to have benefited from at least an additional two million euros, or about $2.75 million, from other sources. The cost of maintaining its dozens of offices across the country and financing its “Greeks only” food distribution and blood donation campaigns is estimated at two million to three million euros, according to reports in the Greek news media.
This month, the country’s Financial Crimes Squad started investigating Golden Dawn’s finances over the past 12 years, looking for signs of money laundering or questionable donations.
News 
Market Data 
Discover 
AI
