The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KIS) has expressed “deep disappointment” after a Greek regional authority barred a journalist from delivering a scheduled keynote speech at a Holocaust commemoration next week.
KIS stressed that such events, which are meant to honour the memory of Holocaust victims, “must not be used for political purposes.”
The journalist, Sakis Moumtzis, a columnist for Kathimerini, had been invited to speak at the February 1 event in the city of Volos, central Greece.
The board highlighted that Moumtzis “is recognized as a strong opponent of antisemitism” and that his participation was intended to reinforce the event’s educational and commemorative purpose.
The group criticised the decision by the Region of Thessaly, warning that it “not only fails to honour the 6,000,000 Jewish victims of Nazism but also serves as a stark reminder that the forces of totalitarianism have learned nothing from the Holocaust.”
KIS called on the regional authorities “not to yield to the pressures and threats of those seeking to replicate the darkest pages of modern history.” The program for the event had listed the title of Moumtzis’ speech as “Dante’s Hell and Auschwitz,” reflecting the historical and moral themes he had planned to address.
The incident has drawn concern from Jewish organisations across Greece, who see the move as a troubling politicisation of a solemn commemoration and a missed opportunity to educate the public about the dangers of antisemitism and authoritarianism.
