EBU General Assembly calls for urgency in restoring public service media in Greece
The Members of the EBU reunited in Malta at the 70th General Assembly on 27 June 2013, express their grave concern with the continued “black screen” and silence of Greece’s public broadcaster and therefore unanimously support the following declaration:
EBU General Assembly calls for urgency in restoring public service media in Greece
After the Greek Government took ERT off air on 11 June, the country's highest administrative court, the Council of State, ordered the return to air of public service broadcasting as soon as possible.
The EBU membership welcomes the court’s interim ruling, which reaffirms the pivotal role of public service media in democratic society. Yet the Greek Government still has not succeeded in restoring services, and ERT channels remain black and silent.
The Greek Government has announced it will establish a new organization to replace ERT, in line with the highest European standards. However, to do this successfully, and based on an open democratic debate, will take time.
The EBU unanimously calls for urgent action to immediately set up interim services and re-establish public service programming, making use of existing facilities and staff.
The EBU offers its expertise to the Greek Government and to Mr Pantelis Kapsis, the new deputy minister in charge of public service broadcasting, in reaching short and long term solutions to provide an independent and sustainable public service media that contribute to the pluralism, diversity and social inclusion of the Greek society, which reflects the Public Service Media Values of our Union.