‘While we witness attacks and hate speech every day that are strongly reminiscent of the days when Golden Dawn criminals operated unhindered, Michalis Chrysochoidis chose today to become the political sponsor of the Nazis in suits’, the New Left said, referring to the convicted neo-Nazi organisation.

The party accused the government of failing to take adequate action against fascist violence while deliberately directing public attention towards migrants.

‘Instead of his ministry, the police and the government taking steps to stop the wave of fascist violence targeting migrants and anti-fascists, the minister of citizen protection gave an interview today in which he targeted, who else, migrants.’

The New Left specifically criticised Chrysochoidis’s remarks about migrants living in overcrowded apartments and his attempts to associate foreign nationals with criminal activity.

The party described his rhetoric as reminiscent of Golden Dawn and condemned his announcement of legislative measures and deportations targeting people who, it argued, had not even stood trial for the offences attributed to them.

‘With rhetoric reminiscent of Golden Dawn members, Michalis Chrysochoidis announced legislation targeting migrants who are crammed into apartments to sleep. He said that there are “foreigners who are criminals, they did not come here to work, but to commit crimes”, while announcing the deportation of people who have not even been tried for the offences attributed to them.’

The New Left also blamed government policies for the living conditions and marginalisation experienced by migrants, arguing that restrictions on access to employment and economic activity leave them vulnerable to exploitation by human trafficking networks.

‘The fact that migrants are crammed into apartments, marginalised or driven to illegal activities is solely the responsibility of the xenophobic policies of the Mitsotakis government, which Michalis Chrysochoidis willingly implements’, the party stated.

It added that ‘people come to our country in search of a better life, but the policies of the Mitsotakis government exclude migrants from economic life and employment with rights, ultimately driving them into the arms of human trafficking networks’.

The statement concluded with another attack on Chrysochoidis, with the New Left arguing that his rhetoric creates fertile ground for far-right and fascist ideology.

‘The racist rhetoric of the minister of citizen protection provides fertile ground for fascists to flourish. And Michalis Chrysochoidis is now openly a Kasidiaris in a ministerial post.’

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