ATHENS, Greece (AP) \u2014 Greece\u2019s coalition government was in disarray Thursday over efforts to crackdown on growing racist violence, as majority conservatives and their center-left partners clashed over the best way to tackle anti-immigrant violence.<\/p>\n
The embarrassing rift in conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras\u2019 government occurred amid pressure from the European Union and human rights groups to toughen anti-racism laws.<\/p>\n
Greece, in its sixth year of recession \u2014 and with the highest number of immigrants entering the European Union illegally \u2014 has seen a sharp rise in violence against non-European immigrants, as well as a surge in support for the xenophobic and extreme right Golden Dawn Party.<\/p>\n
Samaras\u2019 center-right New Democracy party refused to endorse draft legislation overhauling laws on racial equality, and instead submitted more limited amendments to laws passed in 1979.<\/p>\n
But his coalition partners, the Socialist Pasok party and Democratic Left, submitted the more extensive proposals as a private members bill.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018What matters is that we unite political parties and the people against the Nazis, and not to let the danger of neo-Nazism divide us,\u2019\u2019 Samaras said in a written statement.<\/p>\n
Formed after general elections last June, the ruling coalition cannot pass legislation without some form of cross-party support.<\/p>\n
The European Union, as well as international Jewish groups, have urged Greece to tackle racism by criminalizing incitement to commit racial violence among other measures.<\/p>\n
The New York-based organization Human Rights Watch on Thursday also urged the swift adoption of measures against racial violence.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018With people being attacked on the streets, Greece urgently needs to beef up its criminal justice response to hate crimes,\u2019\u2019 Judith Sunderland of Human Rights Watch said.<\/p>\n