Today is expected the decision of the A1 Department of the Supreme Court, which will judge the participation or not of the “Spartiates” party in the European elections of June 9.
by Anna Kandili
A total of 46 parties and coalitions of parties have submitted a declaration of participation in the upcoming elections, passing the first phase of the process for their emblem and name. However, the interest this time, as it was before the parliamentary elections of 2023, is focused on whether and how Ilias Kasidiaris will move and what will happen next with the “Spartians”. The previous time, Areios Pagos had “cut off” the “Hellenes” party, which was participated by the person convicted in the first degree for directing the Golden Dawn criminal organization. He, however, had an alternative, as it turned out later. After the announcement was made in the run-up to the June election, he declared his support for the “Spartans”, a party unknown to many until then, not even detectable in the polls, which nevertheless managed to get close to 5% after the support Kasidiari.
And the question is, what will the Areios Pagos do now with the “Spartans” on the one hand, and on the other with other small parties that have declared their participation, whose “prehistory” or how and why they were “born” are, to a large extent, unknown, and that one of them can be Kasidiaris’ “vehicle” for the European elections.
Starting with the “Spartans”, legal and judicial circles point out that it is not so clear a picture as to what the judges of the A1 Department will do. Many believe that after a criminal prosecution for defrauding the electoral body was brought against 11 MPs who were elected with the party after the end of the preliminary investigation that the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court Georgia Adelini herself carried out, their “cut” is a given. They also refer to the logic of the supreme prosecutor’s office, based on which, the Spartan party was in fact the “mantle of the new political party of Ilias Kasidiaris”. It is noted that on the same grounds, appeals have been filed with the Electoral Court against MPs elected with the party, with the decision of the Supreme Special Court expected in the near future.
But there is also the other point of view from those who point out that the head of the “Spartians”, Vassilis Stigas, was not among those who were prosecuted. After all, he was the one who started the investigation when he denounced extortion and mafia practices in the party, regardless of whether along the way he tried to “round up” what he initially stated, and even inside the Parliament. Therefore, they say, if something does not happen with the participants in the ballot, do they have any connection with the imprisoned Domokos, who will support the exclusion of the “Spartans” from the European elections? The fact that there is a difficulty, as they argue, can also be seen from the fact that although the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure provide for the suspension of state funding in the event that the Court proceeds with criminal prosecution (which was done with Golden Dawn), so far it has not such a decision was made for the “Spartans”, apparently, they note, because their president has not been prosecuted.
Regarding now the case of Il. Kasidiaris “hiding” again behind another party which will manage to pass the “scope” of the Supreme Court and receive its support afterwards, no one can exclude this. However, given the precedent that exists, it is estimated that the control this time will be more thorough in the “resume” of the lesser-known parties as well as in that of their candidates.
Intense political confrontation
An intense political confrontation broke out on Tuesday (23/4) over the non-filing of a memorandum by SYRIZA. The occasion was the statements of the SYRIZA member of parliament and Justice Department head, Alexandros Avlonitis, on the Parliament Channel, who emphasized that it was decided in a meeting with the head of the KO, Sokratis Famellos, to submit a memorandum against the Spartans “today.”
PASOK, left spikes for the delay of SYRIZA to file an objection against the participation of the “Spartiates” party, while the KKE pointed out that the battle against fascism and its various offshoots cannot be fought with memosadding that only the organized struggle of the people and the youth can erect an effective wall against fascism.
It is recalled that the statutory deadline for filing an objection against the participation of the “Spartiates” party passed on April 20.
The proposal, however, by the prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Ms. Adelini, for criminal charges against the 11 MPs of the party, possibly sets in motion the blocking of the Spartan party from the European elections.
What will it mean if the electoral court decides to disqualify the “Spartans”
The next few days in particular the decision of the Electoral Court is expected before Easter, which will judge the expulsion of the “Spartians” from the Parliament. In this case they are formed two possible scenarios. According to the first scenario, in the event that repeat elections are not held in the 12 districts who elected MPs the Spartan party, then the percentage of 4.68%, which they received, as well as the seats of the Spartans will be distributed to the other parties and replacement of deputies, depending on the rest.
In the second scenario, in the event that the electoral court decides to hold elections, then double ballots are expected to be set up on June 9 for European elections and national elections in the 12 regions.
