Greek Deputy Minister of Justice Costas Karagounis has tabled a bill designed to outlaw racial, religious, ethnic and homophobic incitement.

The move comes in the wake of a recent Holocaust commemoration event in Thessaloniki where World Jewish Congress members raised the issue of antisemitism with Greek government officials.

If passed, the proposed bill will make racial or religious incitement punishable with jail terms of up to six years, or fines of up to 20,000 euros. The same punishments would apply to those who deny the Holocaust or make Nazi salutes.

The neo-Nazi Greek Golden Dawn party is now the third largest in parliament and maintains a 10-12 per cent approval rating in opinion polls.

The proposed bill does not give immunity to members of parliament.