Greek Parliament Approves Tougher Penalties for Art Forgery Amid High-Profile Counterfeiting Cases
Greek lawmakers have approved sweeping legislation that imposes significantly harsher penalties for art forgery, following a major crackdown on counterfeit artworks in Thessaloniki and a high-profile vandalism incident at the National Gallery in Athens. The new law introduces prison terms of up to 10 years and fines reaching €300,000 for aggravated cases, marking a substantial shift in how Greece addresses cultural heritage crimes.
The legislation, approved by parliament on Wednesday, represents a comprehensive overhaul of how art-related crimes are prosecuted in Greece, criminalizing forgery even when no financial gain is involved and establishing specialized enforcement mechanisms within the Culture Ministry.
Background and Context
Previously, art forgery in Greece was addressed only under general forgery and fraud provisions in the criminal code, with penalties applied solely when financial transactions could be proven. This legal gap allowed forgers to operate with relative impunity when no immediate commercial activity was documented, undermining the country's efforts to protect its cultural heritage and legitimate art market.
The new legislative response comes in the wake of several concerning incidents, including last year's attack on paintings at the National Gallery by a far-right lawmaker who claimed religious offense, highlighting the vulnerability of cultural institutions to both ideological and commercially motivated crimes.
Key Figures and Entities
The immediate catalyst for this legislative action was a December 2024 police operation in Thessaloniki, where authorities arrested three individuals accused of systematically counterfeiting hundreds of works by prominent Greek artists and selling them through an online auction platform. The forged pieces included works by renowned 20th-century artists Yannis Gaitis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas, and Alekos Fassianos, whose authentic pieces command five-figure sums among collectors.
Under the new framework, the Culture Ministry will establish a specialized art department and create a national register of qualified art assessors to verify authenticity, addressing a critical gap in expertise that previously hampered enforcement efforts.
Legal and Financial Mechanisms
The legislation introduces a tiered penalty system that reflects both the scale and sophistication of art-related crimes. Basic forgery offenses now carry prison sentences ranging from six months to five years and fines between €5,000 and €120,000, regardless of whether financial gain occurred.
For aggravated cases involving organized criminal groups or financial damages exceeding €120,000, penalties escalate dramatically to 10 years imprisonment and €300,000 fines. The law also specifically criminalizes fraud concerning an artwork's provenance, dating, or condition—key areas where sophisticated forgers have historically exploited expertise gaps in the market.
International Implications and Policy Response
Greece's legislative overhaul aligns with growing international efforts to combat art forgery, which the UNESCO estimates generates $6 billion in illicit trade annually. The creation of a national art assessor registry mirrors similar mechanisms in other European countries that have struggled with authentication challenges in a globalized art market.
The comprehensive approach criminalizing the entire chain of activities—from creation through display and trafficking—provides a model that other countries grappling with similar challenges may consider. It represents a shift from treating art forgery merely as financial fraud to recognizing it as a threat to cultural heritage that requires specialized legal frameworks.
Sources
This report draws on information provided by the Hellenic Police and the Greek Culture Ministry, alongside public statements regarding the December 2024 art forgery crackdown in Thessaloniki and the new legislation approved by the Greek parliament on June 5, 2024.
