Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his conservative New Democracy party have dropped their opposition to a new anti-racism bill that outlaws Holocaust denial. The about-face on Thursday apparently was in response to widespread condemnation over the party’s stance from the European Union, as well as Greek and international Jewish groups such as the World Jewish Congress that had urged Athens to take stronger steps against the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party. Last week, WJC President Ronald Lauder called it "very worrying that the mainstream parties in Athens are apparently unable to find a compromise on this important matter." Lauder declared: "Hate mongers and extremists such as the leaders of Golden Dawn are not only a threat to minorities such as the Jews; they are a threat to democracy as a whole. Hence, they ought to be fought vigorously by all democratic forces, and with the full force of the law."
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:06:06 +0000