NEWS

Voridis rejects accusations of anti-Semitism

Voridis rejects accusations of anti-Semitism

Agriculture Minister Makis Voridis has rejected allegations of anti-Semitism levelled against him by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS), the umbrella organization of Greek Jews.

“I have never been an anti-Semite. I have however served for many years in political parties and organizations in the nationalist flank and I have politically coexisted with people who held unacceptable ideas of this sort,” said Voridis.

“I denounce any action, omission or tolerance to any action by a third party that could be interpreted as anti-Semitic or neo-Nazi,” he added.

Speaking on News24/7 radio, KIS Secretary-General Victor Eliezer said that Greece’s Jewish community was not “particularly happy” with Voridis’ appointment in the new cabinet.

“There is a dark past and we publicly urge him to his renounce his anti-Semitic past,” he said.

Last week, an unnamed Israeli diplomat recently told The Jerusalem Post that the country will not work with the new minister because of his anti-Semitic past.

Voridis, 54, was leader of the EPEN (National Political Union) youth group founded in the early 1980s by Greece’s jailed dictator Georgios Papadopoulos. In the mid-1990s, he founded the nationalist Hellenic Front (Elliniko Metopo), a party absorbed by Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) in 2005. He joined New Democracy in 2012.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.