Greek PM acts to defuse crisis as TV closure sparks national strike
Source: Agencies |
June 14, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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GREEK Prime Minister Antonis Samaras moved to defuse a political crisis over the government's abrupt closure of state broadcaster ERT that prompted a nationwide strike yesterday and brought thousands into the streets in protest.
Samaras, who has branded defenders of ERT hypocrites, invited two left-wing junior coalition parties opposed to the shutdown, to talks next Monday, his office said, seeking to avert political instability in the bailed-out euro zone country.
The partners, who want ERT switched back on immediately, welcomed the meeting but kept up a critical broadside that has pushed Greece into its most serious political crisis since the uneasy right-left coalition came to power a year ago.
"The country doesn't need elections, they would be a colossal mistake, but PASOK is not afraid of them," said Socialist PASOK chief Evangelos Venizelos. "We support a radical restructuring of ERT, but not with blacked-out screens."
A senior official from the Democratic Left party, Dimitris Hatzisokratis, said: "Finally! But it should have taken place today. Four days could create irreversible developments."
The ERT crisis erupted a day after the government failed to privatize natural gas firm DEPA and was cut to emerging market status by equity index provider MSCI, sending Greek bond yields back above 10 percent.
Athens has called the 75-year-old broadcaster's shutdown as a temporary measure pending the relaunch of a slimmed-down station. About 2,600 employees are to lose their jobs, though the government has promised to compensate them.
A senior government official said Athens was under pressure to show visiting EU and IMF inspectors that it had a plan to fire 2,000 state workers as required, and the ERT shutdown was the only option available to meet the goal.
Senior euro zone officials meet later yesterday to discuss unlocking the next 3.3 billion euros (US$4.4 billion) of loans.
City buses did not run in Athens and train services halted across the country after Greece's two biggest labor unions staged a 24-hour strike.
More than 13,000 protesters, including unemployed youth, gathered outside ERT's headquarters waving flags and holding banners reading "Fire Samaras, not ERT workers!" ERT workers formed a human chain at the building's entrance.
"Samaras can't tell us what to watch or not.
"This isn't about ERT or about its workers any more, it's about democracy and freedom of speech," said Thanos Lykourias, 30, an office worker, who earns 800 euros a month and lives with his mother.
An indefinite strike by a journalists' union prevented some newspapers appearing and forcing private broadcasters to air reruns of sitcoms and soap operas instead of the news.
Samaras, who has branded defenders of ERT hypocrites, invited two left-wing junior coalition parties opposed to the shutdown, to talks next Monday, his office said, seeking to avert political instability in the bailed-out euro zone country.
The partners, who want ERT switched back on immediately, welcomed the meeting but kept up a critical broadside that has pushed Greece into its most serious political crisis since the uneasy right-left coalition came to power a year ago.
"The country doesn't need elections, they would be a colossal mistake, but PASOK is not afraid of them," said Socialist PASOK chief Evangelos Venizelos. "We support a radical restructuring of ERT, but not with blacked-out screens."
A senior official from the Democratic Left party, Dimitris Hatzisokratis, said: "Finally! But it should have taken place today. Four days could create irreversible developments."
The ERT crisis erupted a day after the government failed to privatize natural gas firm DEPA and was cut to emerging market status by equity index provider MSCI, sending Greek bond yields back above 10 percent.
Athens has called the 75-year-old broadcaster's shutdown as a temporary measure pending the relaunch of a slimmed-down station. About 2,600 employees are to lose their jobs, though the government has promised to compensate them.
A senior government official said Athens was under pressure to show visiting EU and IMF inspectors that it had a plan to fire 2,000 state workers as required, and the ERT shutdown was the only option available to meet the goal.
Senior euro zone officials meet later yesterday to discuss unlocking the next 3.3 billion euros (US$4.4 billion) of loans.
City buses did not run in Athens and train services halted across the country after Greece's two biggest labor unions staged a 24-hour strike.
More than 13,000 protesters, including unemployed youth, gathered outside ERT's headquarters waving flags and holding banners reading "Fire Samaras, not ERT workers!" ERT workers formed a human chain at the building's entrance.
"Samaras can't tell us what to watch or not.
"This isn't about ERT or about its workers any more, it's about democracy and freedom of speech," said Thanos Lykourias, 30, an office worker, who earns 800 euros a month and lives with his mother.
An indefinite strike by a journalists' union prevented some newspapers appearing and forcing private broadcasters to air reruns of sitcoms and soap operas instead of the news.
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