Samaras’ decision to shut down Greece public broadcast ERT created a lot of enemies. That was expected. And this not only because 2,656 people lost their jobs overnight or because the action has authoritarian features. Moreover it was the attack prime minister Antonis Samaras and government spokesman & minister in charge of media Simos Kedikoglou launched against the ERT personnel. “ERT was the symbol of corruption,” Samaras said on Wednesday failing to explain how all governing parties stuffed the public broadcaster with own supporters.
It wasn’t a secret that when Samaras (Nea Dimocratia) and his coalition partners Venizelos (PASOK) and Kouvelis (Democratic Left) formed the coalition government, new personnel was hired at ERT: 28 people hired as special advisers and secretaries.
A list of 28 people displays one-year work contracts but also ‘austerity’ wages of even 4,000 euro gross per month, bonuses & extras excluded! Special advisers get 3,000-3,500 euro. A secretary is being hired for 2,000 euro per month, when in private sector with 27% unemployment, a newly hired secretary would consider herself “very blessed” and “very special” to earn 600 per month. Gross.
The list was first published in October 2012. After the ERT shutdown on Tuesday night, several websites and news portals republished the list.
Newspaper Proto Thema notes that “the hiring started in August 2012 with Simos Kedikoglou being the minister in charge of ERT.”
Today, two independent lawmakers asked, the list should be submitted to Greek Parliament for … further investigation.
See the list here .
PS Do not falsely think that only the new hires were only Nea Dimocratia affiliated. My friend Dina told me today that “nothing will ever change in this country.”
