The NERIT amendment was voted by the coalition government parties (149 in favor and 120 against). The Deputy Minister of Public Radio and Television Pantelis Kapsis expressed his hope that the new public broadcasting service would “attain a legal status”. Mr. Kapsis responded to criticism from the opposition and claimed that ERT employees did not respond to his call for discussion.
Mr. Kapsis denied rumors that the interim public broadcasting service DT cost 200 million euros, stating that of the 1,832,000 euros spent in two months of operations, 500,000 were attributed to not being able to use the ERT HQ facilities in Agia Paraskevi. The Deputy Minister stated that he “is open to criticism, I am certain I will make mistakes. However, the ERT of arbitrary political decisions, unionist impunity and interventions will never come back”.
SYRIZA’s Dimitris Papadimoulis stressed that the legal act with which ERT was shut down in June was “up in air, because the three-month deadline has passed” and accused the government of “preparing the ground to kick the ERT employees out with riot police”. Nikos Voutsis added that “despite the unprecedented impasses and illegalities the closure of ER will benefit the private channels”.
Nikos Tsoukalis from DIMAR backed Papadimoulis’ claim, calling the Deputy Minister to admit that he has made the situation worse. Mr. Tsoukalis also expressed the belief that the complications due to the delays will cause unprecedented constitutional legal matters and stated that “anyone who votes in favor of this amendment is committing a crime”, while addressing PASOK.
