The highest bidders for the four TV licences are expected to have paid the first installment of their total bid by Monday. At 10.30 on Monday morning, Antenna paid the 25,3 million Euros for the first installment while on Friday, Alter Ego, the company established by shipowner Evangelos Marinakis, and SKAI TV paid to the General Secretariat of Information the first installment totaling 24,633,333 euros and 14,533,333 euros respectively. All eyes are now on local businessman Yiannis Kalogritsas, the son of construction contractor Christos Kalogritsas, who must deposit 18 million euros on Monday.
Kalogritsas, however, faces numerous questions over his statement of means and assets declaration, his tax returns over previous years and the level of borrowing by companies in the Kalogritsas group from non-systemic Attica Bank.
Several broadcasters that failed to win one of only four national broadcast licenses have directly charged collusion between the Kalogritsas and leftist government.