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Greek far-right party spokesman sues left MPs he assaulted during TV show

11 June 2012 23:57 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Greek far-right Chryssi Avgi (Golden Dawn) party spokesman Ilias Kassidiaris submitted suits on Monday against two left female MPs he assaulted during a heated television program last week that shocked Greek society, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Though Kassidiaris had disappeared since the incident to avoid his arrest and speedy trial over the row, he appeared before an Athens court for his trial for another case and filed suits of insults against Communist party MP Liana Kanelli and Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) party lawmaker Rena Dourou.

He had thrown a glass of water against Dourou and slapped Kanelli, before escaping the private television ANT1 channel before police arrived.

Kassidiaris sued ANT1 for his "illegal detention" and a journalist who was participating in the program for "abuse of power", because he called a prosecutor to press charges against him.

The Golden Dawn party member claimed that he was intentionally provoked by his interlocutors during the program, and defended himself that his prosecution is politically motivated to harm the party ahead of Sunday’s elections.

The party which rejects the label "neo-fascist", entered the Greek parliament for first time in the May 6 national polls, boosted by voters’ frustration with the austerity policies of mainstream traditional forces and the illegal migration problem in debt-laden Greece.