Gov’t slams SYRIZA over ‘present’ votes

Government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou lashed out against SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday due to the party’s decision to vote “present” on the provision for the exclusion of the party of jailed far-right extremist Ilias Kasidiaris from the upcoming elections.

“Mr Tsipras is serially absent from major challenges. At this time when institutional and historical responsibility requires a united front for the radical confrontation of criminal organizations that appear as parties, he continues to hide behind pretexts, unfounded allegations, and terminology in order to justify that he is once again the exception,” Oikonomou said.

“Everyone’s responsibility is measured in their actions, which is why history has always held those who are absent in contempt,” he added.

The provision in question that was tabled last week in Parliament sought to block the participation in national elections of the new party fronted by the jailed Kasidiaris, who was once a leading figure of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the provision as “very important” for the protection of “democracy from criminal organizations and persons who appear in the guise of political parties.”