Greece’s coalition government is sharply divided over an anti-racism bill that is aimed at controlling the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party by imposing stricter penalties for assaults, primarily on immigrants, of which the extremists have been accused but which it denies.
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the New Democracy Conservative leader, reportedly is going to meet with his partners, PASOK Socialist head Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left (DIMAR) chief Fotis Kouvelis to see if a compromise can be worked out. Samaras is reportedly concerned that a crackdown on Golden Dawn might backfire and appear to make it seem victim of political persecution and give it more support.
The party has 18 seats in Parliament and has nearly doubled in some polls the 6.97 percent of the vote it won in last year’s elections as it continues on a verbal rampage against immigrants, blasphemers, foreigners, capitalists, bankers and other perceived enemies of the party and Greece.
The government’s General Secretary, Panayiotis Baltakos, refuted reports that the bill had gained approval in principle by a parliamentary committee. According to Baltakos the bill has not been approved and it remains unclear whether it will be put to a vote at all.
The legislation, which aims to impose tougher penalties on racial hatred and is also an attempt by the government to curb the growing influence of the ultra-right Golden Dawn, has provoked a widening rift in the fragile coalition with the junior partners, PASOK and Democratic Left, pushing for its immediate submission to Parliament while New Democracy wants it to undergo changes.
Venizelos insisted that the bill be promoted as “an essential measure for the protection of democratic rule of law” and that “any outstanding issues be tackled by the party leaders.” Kouvelis called on Baltakos to “leave the procedural tricks and immediately submit the bill.” Meanwhile, ND sources repeated that the bill is redundant as most of its provisions are enshrined in existing laws.
The bill has provoked the opposition of some Church figures, with Bishop Amvrosios of Kalavryta ordering that all churches in Aigialeia, in the northern Peloponnese, ring a death knell in protest at the legislation.
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