Chauvinism is alive in Greece

Greek neo-Nazis burn controversial history textbook

ATHENS --  About 30 Greek neo-Nazis burned copies of a new history textbook criticized as biased towards Turks in a protest before the parliament building Saturday.

Members of the Chryssi Avghi (Golden Dawn) group threw copies of the burnt books onto the road at the end of a traditional parade in the capital marking the country's independence day. The official independence day is Sunday.

Militants yelled anti-Turk slogans and distributed pamphlets urging resistance to closer ties between Greece and Turkey. Riot police eventually dispersed them.

Critics of the textbook to be used in middle schools say it embellishes the Ottoman Empire and underestimates the role of the Orthodox Church in the Greek battle for independence.

One of the book's editors, Maria Repoussi, said that it avoids labeling the 400 years of Ottoman domination of Greece as "slavery." It also breaks with certain interpretations of the Orthodox Church's role in Greek independence.

Education minister Marietta Yannakou has ruled out withdrawing the book. She has asked for an evaluation from the national education institute that could eventually lead to modifications.