Post date: Jun 12, 2013 2:46:8 PM
Greek party leaders condemn the closure of state TV and say they will make moves in parliament to have it stopped.
ATHENS, GREECE (JUNE 12, 2013) (REUTERS) - Greek party leaders condemned on Wednesday (June 12) the move by the government to abruptly shut down the country's state broadcaster, calling for the annulment of the decision.
Main opposition party leader Alexis Tsipras of the SYRIZA party, following a meeting with Greek President Karolos Papoulias, said he had asked him to intervene to have the decision rescinded, and said the party would submit a proposal to parliament to quash it."In essence we are dealing with a coup; we all have a responsibility to resist this action. I informed the president of our position and I asked him to intervene, using his role and the constitution, in order for this action to be rescinded, an action that is against democracy and all the people. I informed him that earlier we submitted a legislative proposal in which we are asking for the annulment of this ministerial decree in regards to the muzzling of the state broadcaster," Tsipras said.
The closure of ERT opened cracks in Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's fragile three-party coalition. Samaras's two junior partners, the Socialist PASOK and theDemocratic Left said they would oppose the closure. Both parties said they had not been consulted but stopped short of saying the row could bring down the government.
Democratic Left Leader Fotis Kouvelis said they would submit an amendment to parliament against the decision, saying it was unacceptable.
"We are against the closure of ERT, it is unacceptable that the state radio and television broadcaster is being shut down. No reform can justify for a moment a closed state broadcaster," Kouvelis said.
"We call on the political parties of the democratic realm not to support this, not to vote in favour of this ministerial decree," he added.
The decision was made by ministerial decree, meaning that it could be implemented without first reference to parliament.
Greek government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said on Wednesday the decision to close the state broadcaster suddenly had been decided weeks ago and was done abruptly for fear that the employees might strike or damage the equipment.
Kedikoglou said a new slimmed-down state broadcaster ERT would relaunch in the coming months, after the government yanked ERT off the air at midnight, in the most dramatic public sector closure yet in the struggle to shore up finances and meet the terms of an international bailout.
Kedikoglou said the shutdown was decided six weeks ago and was unrelated to the ongoing inspection visit by EU and IMF lenders in Athens.