Greece multiplies initiatives against closure - Granma

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Updated 6:30 pm local time

Greece multiplies initiatives against public television
closing

ATHENS. – Efforts to end the suspension of the public broadcaster Radio Television of Greece (ERT) multiplied during the last hours in the capital, although the executive insists that “the closure is definitive.”

breakthrough decision ignored not only the opinion of its two partners in government, but also the same President, Karolos Papoulias, who considered that the redevelopment of public service media “can make keeping open the public broadcasting open and this should be done as soon as possible “.

At the same time, the president of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Jean-Paul Phillips, came to Athens to deliver to the government a letter signed by 51 leaders of European public media which demanded the restitution of workers and ERT emissions.

Phillips called the measure “undemocratic and unprofessional” and said that “the executive underestimates the existence of public service broadcasting in Greece and its independence from the government.”

After the meeting between President of the EBU and Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Sturnarás, it was clear the unmovable decision Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who “intends to reopen the chain as soon as possible, but this is not can be done immediately, “explained Sturnarás.

also President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, expressed his concern about the injunction against the closing ERT and described this as a threat to the right of Europeans to “the freedom and pluralism of the media.”

For its part, the State Council, the country’s highest court on administrative matters, deliberate Monday on the legality of the presidential decree ending the ERT and laid off nearly two thousand 700 workers, following a complaint National Federation of Television and Radio Personnel (POSPERT).

union argued

serious irregularities in the handling of the law and considered the arguments supporting the budgetary situation of the public broadcaster “were vague and do not provide any evidence to support the decision.”

POSPERT

also claimed that the government’s action conflicts with the European Charter of Social Rights, which protects freedom of expression and information, with the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 15 of the Greek Constitution, in regard to the operation of radio and public television.

Meanwhile, workers continued clandestinely issuing of the information that began on the night of Tuesday, when the signal was cut.

Although during this time were limited emissions internet, in various parts of the national territory reset signal was achieved thanks to the signal provided by the Eurovision satellite. (PL)