Spartiates MPs summoned to testify to charges of election fraud next week
Ten MPs from the far-right Spartiates (Spartan) party and an eleventh ex-member of its parliamentary group now serving as an independent, were sent a summons by a Supreme Court prosecutor on Tuesday to testify next week in an ongoing investigation into the party’s ascent to the House.
Among other charges, the 11 MPs will are accused of election fraud by running in the June polls under the Spartiates mantle when actually representing Ilias Kasidiaris – the convinced former spokesman and top cadre of the now-defunct neo-Nazi Golden Dawn – who was prevented from running with his own party.
The summons from Supreme Court Prosecutor Georgia Adeilini is for Monday and Tuesday, though the defendants – whose immunity from prosecution was lifted by Parliament at the start of the month – are expected to request an extension to prepare their testimonies.
The head of the Spartiates party, Vassilis Stigas, has not been charged and denies the claims that Kasidiaris was pulling the lawmakers’ strings.
The until recently unknown party secured 4.68% of the vote in June’s election, securing 12 seats in the 300-seat House.
