The creation of a new Greek National Radio and Television Council (NCRTV – ESR) to act as an independent administrative authority to supervise and regulate the media market is currently at a deadlock while vagueness prevails following claims of Turkish business interests to bombard Greek radio frequencies. A meeting of Greek Parliament leaders gathered to discuss these issues, however there is a rift concerning the viewpoints of the Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government and the opposition concerning the restructuring of the media landscape. As a result, there was a rejection of the proposal for the appointment of the seven-member NCRTV council that needs to be appointed by Greek Parliament.

A new meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, however failure to find common ground in this third venture will result in a legislative initiative by State Minister Nikos Pappas who will take responsibility for the licensing of television channels.

At the backdrop of discussion concerning the make-up of Greece’s regulative radio and TV body were media publications that announced that owner of Turkish channel TV8, Ali Ilacali, met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to discuss buying a TV channel license. Greek Parliamentary Speaker Nikos Voutsis neither denied or rejected these publications in a response to a question by socialist PASOK deputy Andreas Loverdos that criticized the government for not showing transparency in its discussions for the granting of licenses. Instead of denying that such a meeting had taken place, Voutsis said that the government has not given its commitment to any Greek, let alone, Turkish businessman concerning the granting of a media license.