Freddie Beleris retracts controversial remarks about Ilias Kasidiaris

Freddie Beleris, a Member of the European Parliament for New Democracy, has retracted a controversial remark regarding Ilias Kasidiaris, a convicted former leader of the Golden Dawn criminal organization. Beleris described his previous comment—made during an interview on One Channel—as ‘misguided’ and stated that he has no connection to Kasidiaris or the views he represents.

The controversy began after Beleris remarked that Kasidiaris was ‘one of the few Greeks who served his prison sentence until the very last day,’ suggesting that the principle of the rule of law should apply to everyone. This prompted a sharp rebuke from the PASOK party, which accused the MEP of ‘exalting’ a convicted criminal and urged the government spokesperson to formally repudiate his views.

In his retraction, Beleris accused PASOK of isolating a specific phrase from the context of his entire interview to create a misleading image. He reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to democratic institutions and the rule of law, noting that New Democracy has historically taken strong legislative and judicial actions against Golden Dawn.