Επιστολή στον πρόεδρο του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου, Μάρτιν Σουλτς, απέστειλε την Παρασκευή ο πρόεδρος του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, Αλέξης Τσίπρας, καλώντας τον να μεσολαβήσει στο να συνεχιστεί η υπηρεσία παροχής δορυφορικής κάλυψης στα προγράμματα των εργαζομένων της ΕΡΤ
Ο κ. Τσίπρας υποστηρίζει ότι μια τέτοια απόφαση, κατόπιν αιτήματος του Παντελή Καψή, σχετίζεται με την υπεράσπιση της δημοκρατίας, την ελευθερία του λόγου και τον σεβασμό των συμβάσεων που έχουν συνάψει η ΠΟΣΠΕΡΤ με τον SES ASTRA.
Παράλληλα ο κ. Τσίπρας υπενθυμίζει την εκκρεμή απόφαση του Συμβουλίου της Επικρατείας για το λουκέτο στην ΕΡΤ προσθέτοντας ότι τυχόν σιγή στο πρόγραμμα των πρώην εργαζομένων της ΕΡΤ «θα σιγήσει κάθε εναλλακτική φωνή που διαφωνίε με την κυβέρνηση όχι μόνο για τους Έλληνες που ζουν στην Ελλάδα αλλά και για αυτούς που ζουν στο εξωτερικό»
Η επιστολή (στα αγγλικά έχει ως εξής):
Athens October 18, 2013
To: Honorable President of the European Parliament, Mr. Martin Schultz
Cc: SES ASTRA
Dear President,
We were informed, that the Deputy Minister of Radio and Television Broadcasting of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Kapsis has formally requested the termination of granting the satellite capacity, which is required for the broadcasting of the ERT employees' programs (NET and ET3 channels), something which is out of his jurisdiction.
We firmly believe that such a request should be rejected for a number of reasons, associated with the defense of democracy, the freedom of speech and the respect of the contracts between POSPERT (as the legal representative of ERT employees) and SES ASTRA.
More concretely:
1. On June 11th, 2013, the Greek Government, with an entirely unprecedented decision terminated the operation of Hellenic Public Broadcasting Organization (ERT), generating a massive outcry in national and international outcry. We should also mention that there is an appeal against that decision, which is still pending before the plenary of Supreme Abrogative Court of the Hellenic Republic. Since then, the employees of ERT continue to produce full TV and radio program on a completely voluntarily basis, which receives a wide acceptance from the Greek audience.
2. The Greek Government has attempted to establish an improvised TV channel (the so-called “Public Television) which is already discredited by the audience as a biased, pro-government entity, serving and promoting the government's position. For this reason, not even one of the political parties of the opposition have accepted the participate in the broadcastings.
3. An interruption of the satellite transmission of NET and ET3 broadcasting, through the ASTRA 23.5E (ASTRA 3 B) satellite, will silent any alternative political voice, which disagrees with the government, not only in Greece but also for the Greek speaking audience abroad.
For all these reasons, and while still expecting the final decision from the Council of the State, we request your institutional intervention in order to maintain the the provision of satellite capacity for the ERT employees' program.
The President
of SYRIZA
Alexis Tsipras