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PRESS RELEASE ERT 12 - 06 - 2013

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PRESS RELEASE

 

ERT 12/06/2013

 

The Greek prime minister, Antonias Samaras and his government, in their decision to shut down ERT, demonstrated that they will stop at nothing in order to level everything. The unconstitutional and punitive decision to shut down Greek public broadcasting is a profound insult to parliamentary democracy. It constitutes a parliamentary coup d’etat, provokes the public and tramples working class people, leaving them unemployed overnight. It constitutes a demonstration of power and submission to the imperialistic troika.

 

BUT, Mr Samaras does not govern alone. For this reason, POSPERT (the trade union of ERT) met successively today with Mr Kouvelis and Mr Venizelos and requested their immediate intervention. They both pledged and filed a law draft with 2 articles:

 

1. That the legislative decree is not valid and

2. That the legislative decree be cancelled with a retroactive effect as if ERT was not ever shut down.

 

We extend our thanks to all the political parties that are supporting us with their daily presence in our mobilization, as well as their active political assistance. SYRIZA (The Coalition of the Radical Left) filed a draft law for the abolition of the legislative decree, and the Greek Communist Party has an amendment that will be filed in every government bill, and it will also vote for the abolition of the legislative decree and restoration of ERT.

 

We would like to thank all the employees, students, pensioners, unemployed and middle class citizens as well as all the trade unions of Greece and Europe that are defending Greek public broadcasting, pluralism, and the culture and voice of Greece worldwide. We would also like to thank all of our foreign media colleagues who are supporting us so heartwarmingly; the intellectuals, artists and musicians who encourage us with their contribution within the premises of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, and the employees and the administration of European Broadcasting Union for their unconditional support and intervention.

 

This is the most crucial moment for our movement. If this decision prevails, then the government will be able to impose the “Samaras law” in the same manner, wherever they desire, destroying every public institution and infringing every single fundamental right to work.

 

The premises of ERT can be transformed into a struggle centre, a modern “Politechnic” as many employees wish. For this to happen though, and for the closing to be annulled, everybody should support it continuously. We need everybody’s assistance every second, every hour. Everybody should be at the premises of ERT.

 

POSPERT

 

The president                                                 General Secretay

 

Panagiotis Kalfagiannis                                      Tasos Avratoglou