Prosecutor turns to House over Baltakos video

The prosecutor heading an investigation into a secretly filmed video showing former cabinet secretary Panayiotis Baltakos in conversation with the spokesman of neofascist Golden Dawn, Ilias Kasidiaris (photo), is expected to appeal to Parliament, as early as Thursday, to lift the latter’s immunity so he can face charges of making and using an illegal recording.

In his testimony to prosecutor Calliope Dagianta, Baltakos said he did not know he was being taped during the conversation with Kasidiaris, whom he allegedly identified as the only person who could have made the recording.

Kasidiaris, who has already had his immunity lifted several times for a string of charges, said on Wednesday that he planned to propose the creation of a parliamentary committee to investigate Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias and Justice Minister Haralambos Athanasiou on charges of abuse of power and treason. Such a motion needs 30 votes to pass in the 300-seat House and, with just 16 lawmakers, it is unlikely GD will gather the necessary backing.

In the video, Baltakos suggests that the two ministers intervened to secure the arrest of GD lawmakers on criminal charges and also suggests that Samaras sought to influence the probe against the party with the aim of political gain.

In a related development, sources suggested that the two magistrates probing GD’s alleged criminal activities have amassed more incriminating evidence. One potentially fruitful lead is a text message allegedly sent to GD MP Panayiotis Iliopoulos by an unidentified person who claims to have abandoned a Pakistani immigrant in the street after hitting him with his car.