Update | Greek PM to crack down on neo-Nazi party after anti-fascist singer's murder
Greek PM tells nation that government will take action against Golden Dawn as the country seethes over the murder of anti-fascist singer
Greece's prime minister yesterday vowed to rein in the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party after the murder of an anti-fascist singer by one of its supporters sparked nationwide outrage.
"This government is determined not to allow the descendants of the Nazis to poison our social life, to commit crimes, terrorise and undermine the foundations of the country that gave birth to democracy," Antonis Samaras said in a televised address.
Many experts have argued that current legislation would make it difficult to slap an outright ban on Golden Dawn, a measure that could be challenged as undemocratic after the party picked up over 400,000 votes in the last election.
Nevertheless, the government spokesman yesterday said steps would be taken to expose the group's "criminal" acts and isolate it.
"The law will be applied and we believe that this will be the conclusion," Simos Kedikoglou, a government spokesman, told Skai television.
"Starting from the perpetrators, we will (address) the organisation's structure and how it essentially encouraged criminal acts. A simple ban is not enough," Kedikoglou said.