Amendment to Greek Penal Code Makes Religious Bias Punishable

The Greek Parliament has approved an amendment to the penal code providing criminal penalties for acts of religious discrimination, including anti-Jewish acts, the World Jewish Congress reported today.

The legislation had for many years been urged on the government by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, the representative body of Greek Jewry and the WJC affiliate here. The Central Board tried unsuccessfully in 1979, during the Administration of the previous Greek government, to secure passage of the relevant legislation.

According to the president of the Central Board, Joseph Lovinger, the personal intervention of Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou was instrumental in achieving the Amendment’s approval despite the strong opposition to it exhibited during the parliamentary discussions.

ELEMENTS OF THE NEW AMENDMENT

Under the new amendment, an individual found responsible for activities leading to religious discrimination against a religion recognized by the State Constitution (like Judaism), is liable to punishment of up to two years imprisonment.

Lovinger confirmed that the new law had been a subject of discussions in the private talks on the island of Corfu between Papandreou and WJC president Edgar Bronfman last summer, which had been a major impetus in realizing the initiative.

GREEK, U.S. JEWISH LEADERS TO MEET

Meanwhile, in New York, the director of the WJC-American Section, Elan Steinberg, disclosed that a prominent group of American Jewish leaders will be meeting with Greece’s Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri, and Margaret Papandreou, the wife of the Prime Minister, “to continue the dialogue aimed at fostering the improved relations between Greece and the Jewish people.”

Steinberg noted that there had been “difficulties in the relationship” and while these “could not be swept under the rug, the objective now is to build upon the positive developments in a mutually beneficial manner.”

The upcoming meeting in New York will be chaired by Bronfman and will be held on March 5. Among the participating Jewish leaders will be: Frieda Lewis, president of Hadassah: Bernice Tannenbaum, chairman, World Zionist Organization-American Section; Gerald Kraft, President of B’nai B’rith; and Rabbi Arthur Schneier, chairman, WJC-American Section.