European Jewish Congress welcomes Greek vote to cut off funding to Golden Dawn
European Jewish Congress President Dr. Moshe Kantor welcomed and praised the passing of a vote in the Greek parliament to cut off government funding to the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, the EJC said on October 24 2013.
“A democracy should not assist the funding of its destruction,” Kantor said. “The Golden Dawn, like other similar parties in Europe, are a major threat to democracy and to defund them is a democratic necessity. The European Jewish Congress welcomes this decision.”
“No citizen in any country in Europe should have their taxes promote xenophobia and racism, and the authorities have an obligation to ensure that hate and intolerance are not disseminated from the public purse.” Kantor said.
The measure, approved on October 22 by 235 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament, freezes funding for parties whose leadership is accused of involvement in a criminal group or terrorism.
“I hope that this example is followed in other parts of Europe, like for Jobbik in Hungary and Svoboda in the Ukraine,” Kantor said. “This vote in the Greek Parliament is part of the valiant fight back against the rise of neo-Nazism in Europe and this momentum needs to be maintained in Greece and elsewhere. Democracies also need protection from abuse.”
