Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is fighting on three fronts, as he is facing a difficult bailout program review, the issue of television licensing and inner party conflicts.
So far, creditors insist on a quicker implementation of the prerequisites of the third bailout program. However, those include unpopular measures regarding labor laws.
The two sides still disagree on the thorny issues of mass layoffs, collective bargaining, minimum wage and union laws. Athens insists on compliance with European court decisions regarding labor issues, while lenders ask for more austere measures.
On the television licensing issue, the government and the rest of Greeks with bated breath await the crucial decision of the Council of State over the constitutionality of the broadcast licensing bill.
Greece’s highest administrative court will rule on Wednesday whether the Nikos Pappas bill is constitutional and if he has the right to shut down the existing TV stations that did not get a license in the recent controversial licensing tender. Only four stations received a license and there are four more stations that broadcast nationwide and will be forced to close.
If the Council of State rules that the bill is unconstitutional, it will be a great defeat for the Tsipras administration. Opposition parties have attacked the government for trying to control mass media through the television licensing procedure. The prime minister said to his cabinet on Monday that a court decision cannot topple a government.
The third front Tsipras is fighting is inside his party. The anticipated cabinet reshuffle that follows the second SYRIZA conference has generated tension within the party.
The expected removal of Panos Skourletis from the Environment and Energy Ministry has been met with disapproval from the fraction of the “53,” the hard leftists of the party. Skourletis is opposing the privatization part of the Public Power Corporation, for which the government has agreed with lenders as part of the bailout deal.
The SYRIZA “53” also oppose the privatization of part of PPC, thereby supporting Skourletis. The party hard leftists have said that the privatization of electricity is against leftist ideals and they are expected to react when the new Environment and Energy minister is announced by Tsipras.
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