EU Commission Vice-President Reding responds to ABTTF

Viviane Reding: Greece has not yet notified its measures of transposition of the EU Frame-work Decision

The Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding replied to the letter sent by the Federation of Turks in Europe (ABTTF) on 28 August 2012, which addressed the rise of hate-motivated attacks in Greece. In the letter, it is stated the European Commission has repeatedly rejected and condemned all forms and manifestations of racism and xenophobia, and uses all the instruments at its disposal, in line with the powers conferred to the Union by the Treaties, to fight against these.

It is expressed in the letter according the Council Framework Decision on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law, all Member States are obliged to make punishable the intentional public incitement to violence or hatred targeted against an indi-vidual or a group of persons, defined by reference to race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin, and added Greece has not yet notified its measures of transposition of the concerning legislation, and the European Commission has reminded the Greek Government on several occa-sions of its obligation to comply with the Framework Decision. Moreover, it is noted the European Commission is working closely with Member States to ensure that the transposition is done across the 27 Member States in the correct way, and it will deliver an implementation report in 2013.

The European Commission has no power as regards the rules on the organization of politi-cal parties in Member States and their participation in political life

In the reply letter, it is stated the Treaties do not give any powers to the Commission as regards the rules on the organization of political parties in Member States and their participation in political life, and added in cases like the political party Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi) in Greece, it is for the Mem-ber States to ensure that fundamental rights are respected in accordance with their national legislation and their international obligations.

In its letter of 28 August 2012, ABTTF has mentioned the rise of far-right political discourse in Greece, which has led to an increase in racism and xenophobia, adding that while the economic crisis in the country has been deepening, xenophobic violence and hate-motivated attacks in the country have in parallel been increasing. ABTTF has stated in its letter the entrance of the Golden Dawn to the Greek Parliament has made the political discourse harsher, and triggered xenophobia and racially-motivated hate crimes in the country, adding that not only the migrants and asylum seekers, but also the members of the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, who all are Greek citizens, have also become targets of those hate-motivated attacks, and reported the attacks by the members and supporters of the Golden Dawn against the Turkish minority.