Greek party leaders hold emergency talks on future of state broadcaster

Coalition partners have criticised prime minister’s decision to close ERT.




Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's decision to close ERT has been strongly criticised by his coalition partners, the Socialists (Pasok) and the Democratic Left. Tensions increased after Samaras gave a speech at the weekend in which he defended the decision and called ERT's spending “sinful”. He said that shutting down the broadcaster was evidence that he was cracking down on the privileged.

"Some believe that they will trap us in an election dilemma," Samaras said in a speech to members of his centre-right New Democracy Party. "The dilemma is not over who will provoke elections, because nobody wants them. The dilemma is who will be responsible for blocking reforms."

Pasok criticised the speech, saying in a statement that the coalition "can only operate on the basis of mutual respect”.





“I also wonder how our cultural diversity will be promoted without a public TV and Radio...” she added.