Greek Parliament lifts immunity of 3 far-right MPs

ATHENS - Associated Press

Greek Presidential guards perform a change of shift in front of the parliament in Athens October 17, 2012. REUTERS photo

Greek Parliament has voted unanimously to lift the immunity from prosecution of three lawmakers from the extremist far-right Golden Dawn party.
 
Two of the deputies, Panagiotis Iliopoulos and Giorgos Germenis, have been accused of participating in attacks against immigrant street vendors. They face charges of impersonating authorities and property damage. The third, Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, faces charges of robbery and causing bodily harm from a 2007 incident.
 
All 220 deputies present in the 300-seat Parliament voted to lift their immunity. The three had all stated ahead of the vote they wanted this so they can prove their cases.
 
Golden Dawn rose from the fringes of politics to gain 18 parliamentary seats in June elections by campaigning against immigration at a time of acute economic woes.