Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said his government managed to raise 256 million euros from the recent broadcasting tender which auctioned off four nationwide TV licences, because the limited number created more competition.
“Because we limited the offer we created this intense competition. They were inside the General Secretariat for three days and they didn’t know how high the amount was. This is why we collected the 256 million,” Tsipras told parliament in his rejoinder during an off-the-agenda debate on corruption and intertwined interests.
“What we do has a great peculiarity: Other governments have tried it, but backed down. It is not an easy thing having them all against you, distorting everything from morning to night,” he added, noting it takes some “bravery of the soul” to do it.
“We promised the Greek people we’ll finish this. We are united by honesty. All you want is power.”
The prime minister then accused New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis of bullying judges and judicial officials who are deliberating on the TV licensing tender. “From the start until the end of his speech today, Mr. Mitsotakis has attempted to buy judges,” he said.
He also told parliament his government protected 95% of the primary residencies of Greeks valued up to 280,000 euros, thus protecting the weaker citizens.

Earlier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had told that New Democracy government will soon revoke the new law for televison.
ND’s leader also alleged “government intervention in justice” in connection with the television licences tender process, focusing on a decision to postpone a planned session of the Council of State to discuss a related case on September 30.
“In no country where there is rule of law is the session of a supreme court cancelled. This did not even happen during the junta,” he said, noting that the mission of the supreme court was to interpret the law, not public opinion.
“I appeal for this dissonance to be corrected. The court must resolve the issue of the constitutionality of the Pappas law as soon as possible,” he said, noting that the job of judges was to apply the law.
Slamming the government for unreliability and reneging on past promises, Mitsotakis also criticised the process launched to discuss possible changes to the Constitution, noting that the revision of the Constitution was “the exclusive province of Parliament.”
The country needs an overall strategy for fighting corruption and intertwined interests, which goes beyond the witch hunt currently being attempted by the government, Mitsotakis said.
“The government has no plan for dealing with intertwined interests. It is instead developing its own. The country cannot afford to add a crisis of democracy to the existing economic and social crisis,” he noted.
SYRIZA’s designs would come to naught, along with its government, Mitsotakis added, ending with a challenge to the prime minister to “call elections if you dare.”