Golden Dawn: Members of controversial Greek far-right political party to visit Australia (ABC)

European Parliament MPs from the controversial Greek far-right political party Golden Dawn are set to visit Australia, the group's local spokesman says.

The party's Australian representative told the ABC that the two men, both former army officers, would address events in Melbourne and Sydney in October.

Golden Dawn has been strongly criticised in Europe for its use of pseudo-Nazi imagery and its violence against immigrants, who it partly blames for Greece's economic malaise.

The party's leader and other MPs were arrested last year and charged with membership of a criminal organisation after a party member stabbed a left-wing activist to death outside an Athens cafe. Some have subsequently been released.

In his first media interview, the party's Australian representative, Ignatius Gavrilidis, said MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) Eleftherios Synadinos and Georgios Epitideios were planning to come to Australia to raise funds and increase awareness among Greek-Australians.

He said the party had between 60 and 70 "activists" in Australia, but thousands of "supporters" in the large Greek community here, a figure he said was gleaned from social media use.

Mr Gavrilidis said many of the party's supporters did not wish to be publicly identified, but that Golden Dawn's philosophies were proving particularly popular among young Greek-Australians.

The party has collected clothing here and shipped it to Greece to be distributed to people hit by the economic downturn.

Party rejects neo-Nazi tag

Golden Dawn has risen to prominence over the last few years as Greece has spiralled downwards into economic crisis.

It has portrayed itself as an 'outsider', accusing the traditional political parties of corruption and mismanagement of the economy.

However, its members have also become infamous for violent attacks on immigrants, hardline nationalism, anti-Semitism, and use of flags and salutes that bear a striking similarity to those used by the Nazis.

Mr Gavrilidis denied Golden Dawn was a neo-Nazi party, but acknowledged that some of its members admired Adolf Hitler and other leaders.

"Yes, they have admired the leadership of Hitler, just like we also admire the leadership of many strong leaders across the world. Vladimir Putin is a very strong leader. He's got integrity. Benjamin Netanyahu is a very strong leader," he said.

Mr Gavrilidis said some of the imagery people claimed was neo-Nazi, such as the flags and salutes, had roots in Greek history.

Golden Dawn has also established links with right-wing groups in Australia, including the anti-immigration Australia First Party, with which it held a joint rally in Brisbane earlier this year.

Mr Gavrilidis said he shared Australia First's concerns about Muslim immigration to Australia.

"One thing I am for is controlled immigration in the interests of Australia and in the interest of Australian citizens," he said.

"We've got a serious threat from the east. If you cannot control immigration, you're asking for trouble."

MP calls for character test at Australian border

Any visit by the Golden Dawn MEPs is likely to attract significant opposition within both the Greek-Australian and wider communities.

Victorian Liberal MP Nick Kotsiras, a former minister in the State Government, said Golden Dawn had minimal support within the Greek community in Australia, and its "politics of hatred" were abhorrent to most Greeks.

"I am embarrassed by the existence of Golden Dawn. Golden Dawn does not represent me, it does not represent my family and does not represent the vast majority of Greeks living in Victoria," Mr Kotsiras said.

"But also they are not representative of Greeks living in Greece. They are the antithesis of what the Hellenic spirit is all about."

Mr Kotsiras said the MEPs would have to pass the character test to enter Australia, and that under Australian law, anyone associated with a criminal organisation could be denied entry.

"I would hope that these individuals are checked, their backgrounds are checked by [Department of] Foreign Affairs, to make sure that if they don't fit in that criteria, they are not allowed to enter Australia."

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the department had "nothing before it" concerning the two Golden Dawn MEPs.

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