Greece shuts public TV under EU pressure to cut public sector jobs

Series Title
Series Details 12.06.13
Publication Date 12/06/2013
Content Type

The Greek government announced the surprise closure with immediate effect of its state broadcaster ERT on the 11 June 2013, in a desperate move to slash public sector jobs and meet the terms of a bailout imposed by the Troika of international creditors – the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Thousands of Greeks participating in a 24-hour general strike joined a peaceful protest on the 13 June 2013 outside the headquarters of ERT as the public broadcaster continued streaming live coverage over the internet in defiance of a government decree shutting it down.

The political mood stayed tense after a government spokesman announced that Antonis Samaras, the centre-right premier, would not meet the socialist and leftwing leaders in his cross-party coalition, who both opposed the closure on the 10 June 2013. Some talked about the need for a further election if the coalition broke up.

However, the Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras dismissed on the 16 June 2013 to talk of an early election over the abrupt closure of the state broadcaster.

On the 17 June 2013 Greece's top administrative court - the Council of State - upheld Mr Samaras's plan to replace ERT with a new broadcaster later in 2013 but backed the position of the other coalition partners that the signal must be restored in the interim.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/greece-shuts-public-tv-eu-pressu-news-528498
Related Links
ESO: Background Information: IMF admits errors on Greek bailout http://www.europeansources.info/record/imf-admits-errors-on-greek-bailout/
BBC News, 12.06.13: ERT closure: Greek parties urge change of course http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22871734
Kathimerini, 12.06.13: Coalition partners refuse to back PM's plan to shut down broadcaster ERT http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_12/06/2013_504072
Deutsche Welle, 12.06.13: Greek ERT journalists defy order to cease programs http://dw.de/p/18o8l
ESO: Background Information: Statement by the European Commission on the closure of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-statement-by-the-european-commission-on-the-closure-of-the-hellenic-broadcasting-corporation/
Deutsche Welle, 13.06.13: Greek workers strike over closure of broadcaster ERT http://dw.de/p/18oe6
Kathimerini, 13.06.13: Coalition partners seek compromise with Samaras on ERT http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_12/06/2013_504120
EUObserver, 13.06.13: Greek state TV defies blackout http://euobserver.com/political/120458
BBC News, 13.06.13: ERT closure: Greek unions stage 24-hour protest strike http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22883236
Blog: Yanis Varoufakis, 11.06.13: ERT (Greek state tv-radio) is dead: A blacklisted person’s lament http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2013/06/11/ert-greek-state-tv-radio-is-dead-a-blacklisted-persons-lament/
Kathimerini, 13.06.13: Greece: Closure airs party splits (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/3877601-closure-airs-party-splits
Kathimerini, 13.06.13: Samaras bids to defuse coalition row over ERT closure by agreeing to Monday talks with partners http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_13/06/2013_504203
BBC News, 15.06.13: ERT closure: Greek PM Antonis Samaras offers concession http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22917171
Kathimerini, 15.06.13: Coalition faces test of its unity over ERT closure http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_15/06/2013_504276
Kathimerini, 15.06.13: Public against ERT shutdown, snap elections, polls show http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_15/06/2013_504268
EurActiv, 17.06.13: Greek PM rejects calls for early election http://www.euractiv.com/elections/greek-pm-dismisses-rejects-calls-news-528628
Public Service Europe, 17.06.13: EU threatened Greek broadcaster days before it went off air http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/3598/eu-threatened-greek-broadcaster-days-before-it-went-off-air
BBC News, 17.06.13: Greece TV: Samaras faces crisis talks with allies http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22934248
FT, 18.06.13: Greece court orders state broadcaster ERT back on air http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22945155
Kathimerini, 18.06.13: Coalition crisis talks to continue http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_18/06/2013_504456
EurActiv, 18.06.13: Court re-opens Greek broadcaster, saving fragile coalition http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/court-opens-greek-broadcaster-sa-news-528671
Spiegel Online International, 18.06.13: Broadcaster Fight: Greek Government Barely Avoids Collapse http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/samaras-government-in-greece-survives-broadcaster-battle-a-906466.html
Public Service Europe, 18.06.13: Court orders reopening of Greek broadcaster ERT http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/3608/court-orders-reopening-of-greek-broadcaster-ert

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