Tsipras: Shutting down ERT is a coup d'état

SYRIZA president Alexis Tsipras called the shutting down of ERT as a coup d'état directed not only against the workers of ERT but also all the Greeks who pay for ERT to have pluralist information.

Tsipras accused the government of lying to the Greek people and silencing the voice of the country all over the world where ERT is broadcasting.

"Once we had royal decrees today we have the ordinances with today being the 19th in a row during the one year of Samaras' governance,” he added in statements from the ERT building Tuesday afternoon.

According to Tsipras the government is gagging ERT for two reasons: because troika requires human sacrifice of thousands of workers and because it wants to transform it into a new YENED as in the years of dictatorship.

He also sent a call to the other two governmental partners to differentiate their position in this undemocratic decision otherwise they will bear their own responsibility for this decision.

He urged the prime minister to take back this legislative act, and bring the matter to the Greek parliament, warning the government not to dare interrupt the broadcast signal of public broadcasting without a parliamentary and National Broadcasting Council decision. "If they do it they will be brought to justice. It is the government that and the memorandum troika that need to be shut down. We believe what we have here is a major attack on democracy."

Asked if SYRIZA will proceed in filing a motion against the government, Tsipras replied "we are thinking of all the possibilities" and that SYRIZA is available to the people to coordinate the popular mobilizations.


DIMAR: We will not vote the legislative act

In its statement Fotis Kouvelis’ party reiterates its unequivocal opposition to the closure of ERT.

"The ministers suggested by DIMAR have not signed the legislative act. The necessary reorganization and rationalization should be done with ERT open. The Democratic Left will not vote the legislative act."