The government will finance the position of TV channels on the “war in Ukraine”

The Greek government will allocate an amount of 6.8 million euros to TV channels to cover financial losses in connection with the war in Ukraine, this is the official version.

The recipients of the funds are seven television stations broadcasting throughout the country: Channel “STAR”: 1,175,000, “Open“: 400,926, ΑΝΤ1: 1,878,000, Alpha: 1,304,000, ΣΚΑΪ: 1,045,000, Mega: 957,240.

Star Channel: 1,175 εκατ. ευρώ
Open: 400.926
ΑΝΤ1: 1,878 εκατ.
Alpha: 1,304 εκατ.
ΣΚΑΪ: 1,045 εκατ.
Mega: 957.240
Τα χρήματα που δίνει η κυβέρνηση στα κανάλια επειδή αυτά επλήγησαν από τον… πόλεμο στην Ουκρανία!

— e-tetRadio.gr (@tetRadio) October 30, 2023

However, the New Democracy government’s generosity with taxpayers’ money looks more like “gratitude for the support all these years and looking forward to the upcoming elections”because the the total amount is equivalent to the TV channels’ debts to the social insurance fund EDOEAPjournalists found out.

🎥 🇬🇷 🇺🇦
Νέο «δώρο» 6,8 εκατομμύρια ευρώ 💶 από Μαξίμου στα κανάλια 📺

📺Χρηματοδότηση στους 7 ιδιωτικούς τηλεοπτικούς σταθμούς πανελλαδικής εμβέλειας λόγω… Ουκρανίας!https://t.co/dURvSMVUMk

— Data Journalists (@JournalistsData) October 27, 2023

According to datajournalists.co.uk, the government has decided to exempt seven national channels from paying contributions for their employees to the insurance company EDOEAP for the past year (2022), news site libre.gr reports.

The decision on financial support was announced on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, from the Presidency of the Government and the General Secretariat for Communications and Information, Greek taxpayers will bear the costs of 6.8 million euros for EDOEAP, which burden specific companies.

The reason that prompted the government to take this decision is “the fact that these businesses have been particularly hard hit during the recent economic turmoil caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the sanctions imposed EU and international partners, as well as countermeasures taken.”

The justification for the ministry’s decision states the following:

“The need for financial support for providers content free terrestrial digital television broadcasts as they promote pluralism and the quality of public debate.”

“The need to support workers employed at these enterprises, preserve existing jobs and prevent the deterioration of working conditions in this area of ​​economic activity due to the special conditions that have arisen as a result of the energy crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of the territory of Ukraine.”

The government’s commitment to private channels was formulated in the election ballot on April 21, 2023 and implemented on October 24. It should be noted that the specific decision concerns only specific TV channels (Mega, Alpha, SKAI, Open, Star, ANT1, Macedonia TV), i.e. not all print and electronic media in the country, and certainly not all private enterprises in all industries.

PS The “pluralism” that the government claims is a non-stop welcome of all government statements and measures without objections and a critical approach, since the summer of 2019. This is what brought Greece to 107th position in the World Press Freedom Index in 2023 – the worst for a European country.

In fact, the Greek authorities are paying from taxpayers for propaganda aimed at supporting the Ukrainian authorities. However, 6.8 million euros are pennies compared to the tens of millions that the government allocated for the supply of weapons to the warring country. However, it was precisely thanks to the position of the paid media that this assistance to Ukraine received, albeit small, but still approval in Greek society.

Source link