Former cabinet secretary Takis Baltakos, who resigned after his secret talks with Golden Dawn members were revealed on video tape, presages the formation of a new political party. Talking to Star television channel, Baltakos said that the party will be called Rizes (Roots) and it will reach for right-wing voters as it will be “very close to the Christian Orthodox tradition of Greek people.” The reason he chose Roots as the party’s name is that it will appeal to those who believe in Greece’s traditions. The former New Democracy official said that Roots aims at bringing together patriots from the armed forces and police, from the Church of Greece and Christian organizations. During the unofficial announcement, Baltakos said that those involved in the formation of the party have no intention to damage New Democracy. Yet, the former party member criticized New Democracy for diverging from its rightist roots, alienating right-wingers and in essence being a center-rightist party. “Given the current circumstances and the need to preserve the coalition, New Democracy is forced to move to the center, thus losing its rightist constituency…. Antonis Samaras cannot do anything about that,” Baltakos said, adding that there are parties who are against the memorandum and they are further right than New Democracy. “There are people who belong to our side and don’t want the memorandum, and since they don’t want to be forced to vote for party A or party B, at the end they turn to SYRIZA. We don’t like that. The difference (in votes) between New Democracy and SYRIZA is those we have lost from the Right,” he continued, adding that Roots aims at “stealing” votes from SYRIZA. Finally, Baltakos said that everything is ready for the new party to be launched and that he and his colleagues will make an official announcement when they consider that the time is right. Baltakos resigned from his former cabinet position when it was revealed that he had a direct line of communication with Golden Dawn key members. Video tapes released by Golden Dawn, show Baltakos instructing Ilias Kasidiaris on how GD MPs should vote in parliament or congratulating them on certain racist acts.
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