Golden Dawn Video Causes Political Tumult, Greek Cabinet Secretary Resigns

The cabinet secretary Takis Baltakos — closest aide to Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras — offered his resignation following the release of a video by the neonazi Golden Dawn party showing the Greek aide engaging in what appears to be a friendly conversation with Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kasidiaris, over the crackdown on the party.
The Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kasidiaris released transcripts of the conversation to the Greek parliament earlier on Wednesday, while the two and a half-minute video was uploaded earlier on a Russian video sharing website.
In the video — which was recorded shortly after the arrest and release of Ilias Kasidiaris — the high-ranking official of the Greek government is revealed saying that the Prime Μinister is outraged with the ministers of Public Order and Justice who didn’t proceed with the imprisonment of all Golden Dawn members. Baltakos also admitted that the prosecution against the neonazi party was mainly political, as they have reduced the votes casted in favor of New Democracy, adding “They left you out of prison for so long as they didn’t have evidence.”
Upon the release of the footage, Antonis Samaras went over to the headquarters of his party, where he held talks with the party’s officials. Upon exiting the building, the PM said, “I’m not informed about the subject, but if the facts are as it’s said, Mr. Baltakos has no place in this government.”
All political parties have requested an investigation to be launched on the incident, examining also the eventual criminal prosecution of Kasidiaris, who according to article 370 of the Greek Penal Code has intercepted and distributed wire taps.

Incident in Parliament with Baltakos’ Son
Earlier, there was also tension in the Greek parliament building outside the offices of Golden Dawn, located next to those of New Democracy, when the son of Baltakos invaded the offices of the radical right party attacking MPs.
After invading the offices by force, Dimitris Georgios Baltakos screamed using more than a few vulgar expressions, while also physically attacking Golden Dawn MPs Artemis Matthaiopoulos, Michalis Arvanitis and Nikos Kouzilos. The MPs have asked for the arrest of the young Baltakos.
Evangelos Venizelos: “It’s the least he can do.”
PASOK leader and Deputy Greek PM Evangelos Venizelos also asked for the resignation of Baltakos earlier from Brussels. “It’s the least he can do,” said Venizelos, mentioning that the statement issued by PASOK on the incident also covers his personal views. “It’s an old problem, as the current government is a coalition government serving a national need. The government is regulated by a programmatic framework agreed between two parties,” he mentioned.
Venizelos also said that PASOK and all the democratic forces in general are the progressive pole, which is to be strengthened in order to achieve the necessary guarantees and balances within the government. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, there must be a hit against all pockets ideologically or practically adjacent to the radical right.
“It is unthinkable to maintain contact with Nazis, racists, xenophobes and to those who engage in violence and act as a criminal organization,” Venizelos mentioned to journalists, and added, “We formally express the institutional respect to the principle of separation of powers, to judges and prosecutors which no one is entitled to challenge.”

(Video uploaded to youtube by whenthecrisishitthefan.com)