Government shutdown of state broadcaster overnight shocks Greece

Greek national broadcaster ERT was shut down Tuesday. Government spokesman, Simos Kedikoglou, announced a shock decision to pull the plug on ERT with immediate effect.

The government cut the signal of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, known as ERT, just before 11 p.m., about an hour earlier than it had said it would.

Kedikoglou described ERT as a “haven of waste” and said the government is determined to put an end to wasteful state organizations such as the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT). “ERT is a case of an exceptional lack of transparency and incredible extravagance. This ends now,” he said.

Greece has an obligation to cut 15 000 state jobs by 2015 as part of its bailout commitments, 2000 of which must be gone by June.

Earlier on Tuesday, a legislative decree was published in the Government Gazette that allows for public enterprises to be shut down by a simple ministerial decision.

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