Greek government spokesman, Simos Kedikoglou, who didn’t speak out about mismanagement at the state broadcaster ERT when he worked there but has defended the move to close it because of what he said was waste and inefficiency at the organization, said a pared-down version will be back on the air by Aug. 29.
He said the new broadcaster will have 1000-1200 workers instead of the 2,800 who were fired on June 11 with the lighting decision by decree to shut the institution to satisfy international lenders who want 2,500 workers taken off state payrolls by the end of the month.
He said that the best of the staff who were fired will be given priority in rehiring although critics said Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will staff it with supporters of his New Democracy Conservative ruling party as he did at the New Acropolis Museum. There were also complaints that before he shut it down that the government packed it with highly-paid consultants who never showed up.
Samaras’ coalition partners, the PASOK Socialists and tiny Democratic Left (DIMAR) objected to the move but can’t block it until it comes before Parliament later this summer. Samaras needs their votes to have a majority in the body but some analysts said he has told them either to back him or he’ll call new elections which could jeopardize their standing as both are hovering at 3-5 percent support and 3 percent of the vote is needed to enter Parliament.
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