PM extols court’s conviction of Golden Dawn as criminal organisation, calls it ‘victory for democracy’

«Democracy has won today. It is up to all of us for it to win every day,» Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday in a statement on the court verdict in the case against Golden Dawn.

«As prime minister, I consciously refrain from commenting on court rulings. As a Greek citizen, however, I participate in the universal satisfaction for the recognition of its criminal nature. And I am proud of the unwavering stance of our party that made the political and social marginalisation of Golden Dawn its strategic goal.»

The full statement of the Prime Minister is as follows:

«Today’s decision of the three-member criminal court of appeals for Golden Dawn’s action closes a traumatic cycle of the country’s public life. Its political dimension has, fortunately, been judged by the victory of democracy, which expelled the Nazi formation from Parliament. Now, independent justice is giving its own answer.

“As prime minister, I consciously refrain from commenting on court rulings. As a Greek citizen, however, I participate in the universal satisfaction for the recognition of its criminal nature.

“I am proud of the unwavering stance of our party that made the political and social marginalisation of Golden Dawn its strategic goal because New Democracy has always, steadily, and everywhere fought fascism.

“It denounced the populism nurtured in the squares of blind hatred and violence. Not for a moment did it align with its representatives, either in political elections or in parliamentary elections.

“With a law that it passed, New Democracy excluded them [Golden Dawn] from state funding and  refused to legitimise their presence even in simple, ceremonial events.

“History has written that in the days of New Democracy, the way was opened for the Golden Dawn trial.

“A process that had been mired for four-and-a- half years was also facilitated and accelerated on our watch and so we have a court decision today.

“The Nazi formation after its defeat at the polls has also been convicted in court.

“This is proof of the power of the parliamentary system and of the separation of powers – of unity, truth and the proper functioning [of the state].

“However, the trial of racism, intolerance and violence continues in society.

“Democracy won today. It is up to all of us for it to win every day.»