Baltakos resigns after Golden Dawn video tap is brought to light

Takis Baltakos has resigned as general secretary of the government as of around 16:30 on Wednesday afternoon.

Baltakos' resignation was the result of staggering developments that the publicized video which depicts him conversing with Golden Dawn MP Elias Kasidiaris over the court case of the far-right party. There, he is almost shown as acting as a consultant to the GD members, while he lets loose heavy-handed hints on the Prime Minister and the ministers of Justice and Public Order.

Shortly before Mr. Baltakos publicized his resignation letter, he was strongly reproached by Mr. Antonis Samaras. “I am not aware of the issue, but if that's the way things are, Mr. Baltakos has no place in the government”, stated the PM, while exiting the offices of the New Democracy party at Syngrou avenue.

In his resignation letter, Mr. Baltakos apologizes for the inconvenience caused and attempts to explain on the dialogue he had held with the Golden Dawn MP.

Voultepsi: Baltakos will resign.

As parliamentary representative of New Democracy, Sophia Voultepsi heralded to the Plenum, “Mr. Baltakos will announce the decision he has taken, before he was asked whatever he was asked”

The intercepted conversation was uploaded by Golden Dawn supporters on the internet. It shows Mr. Baltakos and Mr. Kasidiaris in conversation. The general secretary of the government is shown giving a description to the Golden Dawn MP, on the Prime Minister's reactions to the aforementioned arrests, since the latter was visiting the United States during the arrests of GD Members of Parliament, Mihos, Panagiotaros and Kasidiaris.

Karidis: Baltakos should resign immediately

Communications secretary of PASOK, Dimitris Karidis earlier demanded Mr. Baltakos' resignation, through a Facebook message. It is also worthy of note that two weeks ago, PASOK president Evangelos Venizelos had expressed his dissatisfaction with Mr. Baltakos, characterizing him as an “old problem”. The reason behind Mr. Venizelos' statements was that Mr. Baltakos had declared that he was born and will die an anti-communist.

PASOK members are also quick to remind that Mr. Baltakos had, in the past, clashed with PASOK's offices on the subject of the anti-racist law.