Ιn an unprecedented move, President Martin Schulz expelled Greek Golden Dawn MEP Eleftherios Synadinos from a European Parliament plenary session after violating rules against racist speech.

Synadinos, a former army lieutenant general, said during the debate on the EU-Turkey Summit: “As it has been expressed in scientific literature, the Turks are dirty and polluted. Turks are like wild dogs when they play but when they have to fight against their enemies they run away. The only effective way to deal with the Turks is with decisive and resolute attitudes.”

Synadinos was ushered out of the chamber after European Parliament President Martin Schulz said his comments were in violation of the institution’s human rights regulations.

“This morning there was an incident in the Chamber and I believe that the European Parliament should not fail to react to it. We absolutely must react to the incident. I’d like to quote the sentence, which, firstly, I don’t think [is] acceptable and secondly I think … must be sanctioned”, explained President Schulz, re-quoting Syndinos’ statement.

“This sentence represents a breach of the values of the EU,” Schulz added, stressing that this decision was imperative.

“I believe that we have to establish a procedure here where if red lines are crossed, then we have to declare them unactable, particularly with regards to racism. For that reason, in accordance with rule 165 of the rules of procedure, in accordance with rule 11, I immediately exclude Mr Synadinos from the Chamber”, he concluded.

MEP Synadinos took his briefcase and left the Plenary, while the other two fellow Golden Dawn MEPs shouted at the President, calling him a “fascist”.

Addressing the Golden Dawn MEPs, Schulz said that “if they want to leave the Chamber with him they are free to do so”, refusing to allow a debate.

“Mr. Synadinos will be heard on this incident; no debates on the rules of procedure” Schulz told Golden Dawn MPEs Georgios Epitideios and Lampros Fountoulis.

Last week, Fountoulis accompanied by Synadinos entered a European Parliament conference on minority rights in Greece, organised by Csaba Sógor, a Romanian center-right MEP and shouted EPP MEP “There is no Turkish minority. Go to the problems of your country, not my country.”

Schulz’s decision to exclude Synadinos from the chamber was welcomed and applauded by all MEPs apart from the Le Pen group. Watch the video here: