ND joins coalition partners in blocking Golden Dawn at Council of Europe

New Democracy has joined its coalition partners, PASOK and Democratic Left, in asking for neofascist Golden Dawn to be excluded from the Greek representation at the Council of Europe.

“New Democracy agrees with the other parties that do not agree with the participation of parties that insult democratic institutions and have racism and prejudice as their main ideology,” said the conservatives in a statement.

A total of 47 European countries take part in the CoE, which promotes co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation.

Its bodies include the European court of Human Rights.

The parties took action after it emerged in October that Golden Dawn MP, Eleni Zaroulia, who is the wife of party leader Nikos Michaloliakos, appointed to the Council of Europe’s Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination.

Parliament is now likely to name different deputies to represent Greece at the Council of Europe.