The Athens Court of Appeal has filed an appeal against the ruling that led to the acquittal of 11 former and current MPs from the "Spartans" party, a lawyer, and Ilias Kasidiaris. The prosecution is seeking a fresh examination of the case, placing particular focus on the abrupt retraction of serious accusations made by the party’s leader, Vasilis Stigkas. Stigkas had previously described internal party practices as resembling the "Greek mafia" and "Don Corleone" – statements he later withdrew. Prosecutorial sources suggest that his reversal may be linked to a separate, ongoing case before the Supreme Special Court, which could potentially annul the election of the party’s MPs.

The appeal targets the ruling of the Single-Member Court of Appeal for Felonies, which had cleared all defendants in the case involving the Spartans party. According to reports, the prosecution is requesting a new hearing to clarify why Stigkas decided to walk back his original allegations. These accusations had been made before Greece’s Chief Prosecutor and were directed at the 11 MPs, the lawyer, and Ilias Kasidiaris, a convicted Nazi and former leading member of the criminal Golden Dawn organisation.

In court, Stigkas claimed that his references to “Greek mafia tactics” and “Don Corleone-style structures” were made in the heat of the moment, driven by anger and what he described as an “extra-institutional war” against him.

However, judicial sources maintain that the timing and nature of his retraction raise questions, particularly given the pending review of the MPs’ election results by the Supreme Special Court.

It’s worth noting that two weeks ago, the Single-Member Court of Appeal for Felonies found all defendants not guilty of voter deception. This included the 11 MPs, Kasidiaris – accused of being the instigator – and a lawyer facing charges of aiding and abetting.

The court president had declared:

“I cannot say that voter deception was proven. No one can claim that voters did not know what they were doing, so they are acquitted.”

The court’s decision followed the recommendation of the public prosecutor, who had also advised that all charges be dropped, citing a lack of evidence showing that voters had been deceived.

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