Greek neo-Nazi politician appears in Athens court

By Magda Panoutsopoulou

ATHENS (AA) – Ioannis Lagos, a Greek politician currently serving as a member of the European Parliament, on Saturday appeared before the Athens prosecutor.

He was extradited from Brussels for his links with the neo-Nazi political group Golden Dawn.

Lagos, along with his fellow members of the far-right group Golden Dawn had been convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison in October 2020. He, however, managed to escape arrest on the day of the verdict and traveled to Brussels.

Last month, the European Parliament stripped his immunity and held Lagos in prison before extraditing him to Athens on Saturday.

Other members of the far-right group, including the leader Nikos Michaloliakos, were convicted by the Athens Court of Appeals for forming and running a criminal organization in the pretext of a political party, along with the group's other senior members, Christos Pappas, Ilias Kasidiaris, Ioannis Lagos, Giorgos Germenis, and Ilias Panagiotaros.

The group was charged with the fatal stabbing of leftist musician Pavlos Fyssas and attacks on activists affiliated with leftist groups, as well as Egyptian fishermen.

"The Greek democracy fought and eliminated the poison of the Golden Dawn party. The rule of law stood firm against criminals. And justice gave its answer with its decisions," government spokesperson Aristotelia Peloni said following his extradition to Greece.