Spartiates remain in Parliament for time being

The decision over the parliamentary presence of the far-right Spartiates (Spartans) has been postponed by the Electoral Court until after a verdict is issued in the criminal trial of the party's MPs who are being prosecuted for defrauding the electorate.

The decision of the Electoral Court, presided over by the president of the Council of State, Evangelia Nika, and involving senior judges from the three highest courts (Council of State, Supreme Court and Court of Audit) means that some Spartiates will remain in Parliament, as a verdict in the trial of its MPs could take up to a year or two to be issued.

The trial, scheduled to begin on June 19, was initiated by the prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Georgia Adilini, on the charge that the MPs (but not their party leader Vasilis Stigas) deceived the electorate.

More specifically, that they were elected as...