Golden Dawn defendants deny Nazi links
Two former lawmakers of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn denied on Thursday that they or the party had any links to Nazism or hate speech.
The two men, Artemis Matthaiopoulos and Dimitris Koukoutsis, testified in the ongoing trial of Golden Dawn’s party leaders, who are accused of running a criminal organization.
Both faced questions about a former music band, Pogrom, that they were members of and a concert it held in Athens in 2005 which was attended by neo-Nazis waving flags inscribed with swastikas and SS symbols.
Both said they could not remember the concert as it took place 14 years ago. The presiding judge also asked Matthaiopoulos to explain the title of one of the band’s songs called “Speak Greek or Die,” but he declined to respond.
Koukoutsis, who has left Golden Dawn, said he had no knowledge of the party’s links with national socialism.
The trial will continue today with the testimonies of former MPs Nikos Michos, Kostas Barbarousis and Nikos Kouzilos.
