Become a Member
World

Polish Chief Rabbi: my views on Kaminski

Rabbi Michael Schudrich does not believe controversial MEP Michal Kaminski is antisemitic but admitted he has concerns over the politician’s past.

October 30, 2009 11:54
The Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich

ByJessica Elgot, Jessica Elgot

1 min read

The Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich, has reiterated that he does not believe controversial Polish MEP Michal Kaminski is antisemitic — but admitted he does have concerns over the politician’s past.

Mr Kaminski has been at the centre of the row over the Conservatives' new rightwing allies in the European parliament. He is the leader of the European parties' bloc.

He has been accused of antisemitism by the Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who used Rabbi Schudrich’s comments to the New Statesman as a basis for his attack.

Speaking friom Warsaw on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, Rabbi Schudrich said: “Mr Kaminski, as a teenager, was a member of a group, the National Rebirth of Poland, which was unfortunately antisemitic and neo-Nazi. He also quit that organisation, as a teenager.”