YEREVAN—Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said Armenia welcomes Tuesday’s vote by the Greek parliament, passing a law which criminalizes the public denial of the Armenian Genocide and other crimes against humanity.
“With this step, Greece once again proved its commitment to universal values and took an important step towards prevention of genocides and other major crimes against humanity in the future,” Minister Nalbandian said in a statement Wednesday.
Armenia’s National Assembly, meanwhile, passed a motion expressing gratitude to the people of Greece on Wednesday.
Apart from Greece’s ruling government coalition, the bill was supported by the Democratic Left (DIMAR) party and individual members of parliament. The left wing of the opposition voted against or abstained, saying the bill targets narrow party interests. The communist party said the new bill is a way to criminalize labor movements and communism under the guise of fight against racism. Far-right Golden Dawn party voted against the bill claiming it can be used for punishing not only nationalists, but anyone unhappy with the government.
The Greek government said the bill was another step in harmonizing its laws with standards set by the European Union.
The bill stipulates fines from 5,000 to 100,000 euros and imprisonment terms from three months to five years for xenophobia, racism, denial of genocides and other crimes against humanity that are recognized by the Greek parliament and international courts.
Interesting that communists sided against the law. Despite all its claims of unity and worker’s rights, it’s down right anti-human and anything decent. And to think that there are plans to erect a statue of Anastas Mikoyan in Armenia???
Why doesn’t Armenia return the favor and recognize the genocide by Turks against the Greeks (Pontian Greeks)?
This bill will justify Christian Genocide( Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks) of Ottoman’s Turkey, and pave it’s way toward other EU members, whereby Greece civilization continues to influence and rules human, and Western Civilizations!
I would not be singing songs on this controversial and foreign imposed bill. The original draft contained only sentences for denial of the holocaust. The bill went around a trip on a carousel before the final draft was finally pushed down parilament’s throats. The golden Dawn, yes the Golden dawn, was the only party that pushed for the introduction in the bill mentioning the Armenian and Pontic Greeks genocide denials. The other sell out parties in parliament only focused on the holocaust denial, the antiracism shibboleths, and those opposing resistance against the relentless invasion of Greece and evolving islamization of the country. The turks are happy with this bill, since they see it as fvoring the turkish invasion of Greece. If one opposes immigration of turks, the courthouse awaits you, fines awaits you, jail terms awaits you. If you oppose immigrant violence against greeks mentioning the ethnic factor, the courthouse awaits you. It is ironic that Turks and Armenians welcome this bill although for totally different reasons. In Greece you will not find denialist of the Armenian holocaust, unless they are foreigners, islamists, muslim immigrant communes. Greeks have suffered with Armenians in equal measure in the destruction of Smyrna at the hands of the turks. both races were made refugees by the muslim turks. If reading the bill carefully and de jure, there is not sufficient muscle and bite for the denial of Armenian-pontic Greeks, these provision are like an afterthought. The main focus is denial of the holocaust, and venting and expressing opposition to the invasion of the country by foreigners, and in particular afro-asians. So let’s see how this new bill, who everyone seems to be in heaven rapshody, will work in practice for the Armenians. A group of turks,muslims, afghanies, whatever are on a protest march on the streets of Athens, and some of them make clear expression of denying the Armenian genocide. Based on the provisions of the same bill, not one single of hair can be touched on the protesting and denialist groups/members or individuals. They are foreigners, and as such they are exempt form charges, based on human rights, and the fact that legislation protects them by virtue of their undocumented/or and foreign-immigrant condition. The Greek parliament adopted the provisions of the Armenian and pontic Greeks genocide denialism, knowing full well that this condition will not require the law enforcement. The laws are being woven for the protection, not of human rights, but for the violation and trampling of the human rights of the indigenuous populations of , in this case ,Greece.
After all these years….The Greeks were involved in the GENOCIDE…Why wait so long.. to condemn the JERKS (turks)