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.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
