On Light and Darkness – A case of a Greek Tragedy, A case of a European Tragedy

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Dear Mr President

I am taking the liberty to address to you as a European Citizen (I am of Greek Nationality leaving the last 30 years in Belgium) and as a former European Commission Official (1987-2010).

As you already know the Government of Greece decided without any warning and public deliberation to stop the Greek Public Radiotelevision Broadcasting Service. Since last Tuesday (11/06/2013) a black curtain is thrown in our three main public chains (ET, NET, ET3), the Satellite which was broadcasting internationally ( ERT World), several radio stations with public information and entertainment and the relevant internet sites.

I do not want to enter to the economic, managerial or quality of the ERT services. This is for the local specialists. I do not even want to enter on how millions of Greek citizens of Greece or of Diaspora get their information and entertainment. I want to enter to one symbolic thing: The black screens within Europe. Many European countries, among them your homeland,  fought against totalitarianism, dictatorships, fascisms and all sorts of extreme governments that  among other inhumane and uncivilized practices prohibited expression of freedom and the right to be informed. Right now the average Greek citizen can get his/her information from chains and sites of private interest. The symbolism is huge: the public good is black, dark and silent and the only colour, light and voice comes from private institutions. Is this Europe? Is this what our fathers had in mind when they fought against totalitarianism?

I am addressing to you, Mr President, knowing your political strength and its symbolism as the President of the main European Institution. I am addressing to you, Mr Barroso, as a European citizen sensitive to the principal European and democratic values. I am addressing to you reminding you that in the country that invented democracy, democracy is for one more time the last 25 years in the gunpoint. I am addressing to you reminding you that in the cradle of European civilisation where the light and music was worshiped in the face of God Apollo is violated with a black curtain and a dead silence. Now the average Greek citizen is in fear, disappointment and despair.

Mr President, the government  of  Greece, despite of the fact that is democratically elected,  acts  in several instances, and in this case in particular,  like a totalitarian government imposing measures against the will and the well-being of the people. In the case of the ERT, I believe that the government trans-passed any democratic frontier. It also ignored the decision of the Highest Court to reopen ERT till its reform in the near future.  Believe me, Mr President,  the black in my screen it hurts me as a European citizen and it forecasts the black of fascism-like governance, I am afraid not only in Greece. The black and silence from our TV and radio is not only a Greek particularity. It is a European subject. It is a universal subject.

This is a plea to you as President of the European Commission to get personally involved and remind the Greek government that it is a European State and it ought to respect European values. These totalitarian actions are far from the European civilisation.   

I apologise for taking from your precious time and your important duties. However, the European Institutions are our last hope to solve the issue in peace before any civil unrest disrupts with unpredictable results.

With great respect

Ioannis Economidis

Πρώτη δημοσίευση-Πηγή:

http://www.neurope.eu/article/light-and-darkness-%E2%80%93-case-greek-tragedy-case-european-tragedy

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