Golden Dawn denied public space for election campaigning in Thessaloniki

The Municipality of Thessaloniki will not give far-right party Golden Dawn any public space for pre-election campaigning, as voters across Greece head to the polls for national elections on July 7.

Thessaloniki’s Municipal Council on Monday announced that they have decided to exclude Golden Dawn from its allocation of public electoral campaign stands.

Over 70 percent of the campaign kiosks, which is around 140 spots available in the city, will be allocated to parties who made it to parliament in the 2015 general elections, excepting Potami and Independent Greeks (ANEL), as neither party will run in the upcoming July 7 elections.

According to reports, the remaining 30 percent of spaces that are available, equivalent to some 60 spots including those not given to Golden Dawn, will go to extra-parliamentary parties and newcomers.

Thessaloniki City Council President Simon Bensasson has also asked party representatives to ensure there is public order in the run-up to parliamentary elections and to refrain from urban pollution caused by campaign brochures and posters.