Greek Jews Slam Right-Wing Politician for Saying Jews Don’t Pay Taxes
Panos Kammenos Image by Getty Images
A prominent Greek Jewish communal organization condemned a right-wing politician for saying that Jews don’t pay taxes.
Panos Kammenos, leader of the small Independent Greeks Party, made the comment Monday during an interview on the Antenna television channel.
The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece issued a statement in response, saying it “categorically refutes” Kammenos’ comments.
“It is a disgrace that a leader of a party in Parliament does not know that Greek Jews are equal citizens and subject to the all the rights and obligations of every citizen,” the statement said, noting that Jewish institutions were governed by the same tax obligations as the Church.
The Jewish community called on Kammenos to apologize for the “serious anti-Semitic act.”
The comments come days after gunmen opened fire on the Israeli Embassy in Athens, an attack blamed by Greek police on a far-left Greek terror group.
A recent Anti-Defamation League poll found that anti-Semitic stereotypes were widespread in Greece, which had the highest percentage of anti-Semitic views in Europe.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
