Greek MP expelled over racist comments after migrant boat tragedy
- Spilios Kriketos, a lawmaker in ex-PM Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party, said Greece ‘cannot tolerate more migrants’ and accused them of stealing
- ‘Opinions such as those ...have no place in our party. Hate and racism are not part of the party’s values’, the ND said after it expelled him
A right-wing Greek parliamentarian was expelled from the party of former prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, seeking a second term at polls next weekend, for racist remarks after the mass drowning of migrants.
The Greek coastguard was continuing its search for survivors of the sinking of a boat carrying migrants that killed at least 78 people overnight on Tuesday. Hopes of finding survivors are fading “by the minute,” according to officials.
The coastguard has so far rescued 104 people from the boat which rescuers said was carrying “hundreds” of migrants.
While condemning the “tragic” loss of life, including “children”, Spilios Kriketos, a lawmaker in Mitsotakis’ New Democracy (ND) party, said that Greece “cannot tolerate more migrants”, in an interview on the Kontra YouTube channel.
He then accused migrants of stealing.
On Friday, ND said it had expelled him. “Opinions such as those expressed by Spilios Kriketos have no place in our party”, it said in a statement. “Hate and racism are not part of the party’s values”.
