A group of miners from the Skouries gold production and processing complex of northern Greece rallied and blocked the main gate of state broadcaster ERT  early Monday evening, an hour before a scheduled debate (19.00 GMT) between leftist SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras and conservative New Democracy president Vangelis Meimarakis.

The miners are livid over a  surprise ministerial decision in the waning days of a SYRIZA government last month to suspend exploitation operations by Hellas Gold at the main Skouries mine.