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Two members of Golden Dawn, who are in custody for the criminal activities of the party, have been taken to the Greek Parliament to participate in the discussion on the request for the removal of their parliamentary immunity.

George Germenis, also known as Kiadas, is at the remand centre of Korydallos prison in Athens and Efsthathios Boukouras is in Nafplio prison. They will have the opportunity of attending the session and expressing opinions during the discussion under the permit issued by the prosecutor.

The police have taken draconian security measures in connection with the transportation of the two deputies. The parliament leadership has banned citizens from entering the building until at least 1:00 pm. The adoption of the measure was not announced but SYRIZA deputy Theanou Fotiou spoke about it in public, before the plenum of the legislative body. She added that she disagreed with this action, stating that the deputies were sending a bad message to the public. Later chairman George Kalandzis confirmed the information.

The ban had provoked strong reactions on the part of Golden Dawn. Party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris said, "Tell me, what do you fear? You have locked the parliament and banned people from entering it. If you think you are the junta, why don’t you openly say it?"
 
The same session will discuss the request for the removal of the parliamentary immunity of two more members of Golden Dawn, namely Nikos Michos and Chrisovalandis Alexopoulos. The parliamentary commission on ethics, which had submitted the request for the plenum to discuss the removal of the parliamentary immunity of the four members of the party that is under investigation for crimes, supports the measure.

Through tears and with a lot of emotions Efsthathios Boukouras told his colleagues in parliament that he was innocent. "I am a child of the people, I have been working since the age of 15. I am not saying these things to have pity on me. My father got cancer and I had to take the helm of the family firm. I married young and I am proud of this. I have a three-year old child. When they come to prison, my children ask me why I am there. I look them in the eye and do not know what to tell them. Why am I in prison? I did not do anything. It so happened that I became a member of Golden Dawn. I am not a fascist, I am not a Nazi. What is my crime? What did I do? Tell me. I take psychotropic medicines to stay on my feet," he said crying and added, "My family and I used to support PASOK. Moreover, if you want to know, Andreas Papandreou made ​​me a nationalist. I heard from him the slogan "Greece of the Greeks."

At the end of his speech, Boukouras won applause not only by Golden Dawn party members but also by all members of the parliamentary group of Independent Greeks. "Bravo. Cheer up!" were their words to the Golden Dawner who is in custody.

For his part, George Germenis began his speech, openly criticizing the Ministers of Justice, Public Order and Citizen Protection as well as the investigators working on the case of Golden Dawn. Then he said that the weapons found at his home were hunting weapons and he had a permit for them. When the person in charge of the session told him that he should finish his speech, Germenis replied, "I will finish when I want."

Deputy Nikos Michos was equally aggressive in his attacks on the government and justice. "We are not like you," he said without showing even for a while that he gives up Golden Dawn.

"I have never had anything to do with the criminal acts related to the activities of Golden Dawn," said Chrisovalandis Alexopoulos who left the parliamentary group of Golden Dawn about a month ago. He stated that being a regular member he could not interfere with, or exert influence on, these actions, adding that he was not involved in the political council or the central commission that made the decisions for them. Alexopoulos said that the political leadership of Golden Dawn had a secret programme that it was hiding from everyone and accused it of "blackening the values ​​of patriotism" with its actions. When Alexopoulos left the rostrum to sit in his seat Ilias Kasidiaris was heard telling him something in a very emphatic tone.

Through a secret ballot, the parliament has decided to remove the immunity of the four current and former members of Golden Dawn.