New Democracy: TV licence tender is the epitome of conflict of interest

The whole procedure lacks moral legitimacy, Koumoutsakos said

Major opposition party New Democracy spokesperson, George Koumoutsakos criticised the Greek government for celebrating the end of the TV licence tender procedures by dubbing the proceedings ‘the epitome of conflict of interest’. Koumoutsakos added that New Democracy had submitted a proposal that afforded a key role for the National Centre for Radio Television (ESR) and the utilisation of the digital spectrum without any restrictions on the number of TV licences. ‘If this proposal had been adopted, today we would have more democracy, information, channels and revenue’, Koumoutsakos claimed in his statement. He went on to say that the government had chosen the path of arbitrariness on the matter of a limited number of TV licences and stripping responsibilities from the ESR. Koumoutsakos wondered how much money would be lost from the other channels closing down; why was the government creating an oligopoly of  TV channels; how did MP Tsipras and government spokesperson Gerovasili feel that many channels would shut down in 90 days with hundreds of employees losing their jobs; what did Mr. Kammenos have to say about his past accusations against Kalogritsas regarding his use of black money via site ads to ensure he would get a TV licence? Now that Kalogritsas had won a licence would Kammenos resign, asked Koumoutsakos. Koumoutsakos said the tender was extremely problematic, stating that it essentially lacked all moral legitimacy.