Greece’s ruling conservatives have lashed out against Syriza for not having condemned and sacked the director of ‘Sto Kokkino’ radio station – which is controlled by the main opposition party – for calling the PM ‘a w….r’.

Antonis Samaras had triggered outrage by using the attack in Paris by Islamist extremists to smear Syriza’s immigration policy saying  that: “In Paris there was an attack with at least 12 dead, and here (in Greece), some welcome and even call for more illegal immigrants.”

His remarks drew condemnation at home and abroad, especially in France, for his ‘distasteful’ attempt to use the deadly massacre in his election campaign.

Citing a critical report inFrench magazine L'Express, Kostas Arvanitis, the radio station’s director called Samaras ‘a w….r’  twice at an event held in the central Greek city of Lamia.

Now New Democracy want him fired.

“The offensive language used by the journalist Kostas Arvanitis against the prime minister is not surprising,” New Democracy spokesperson and European Parliament member Maria Spyraki said, adding that it demonstrates the way “Syriza understands how the public debate should be conducted”.

“He must immediately be removed from his position as the station’s director. This is a given for every self-respecting citizen,” she said.

“It’s very harsh  to call the PM of my country a w….r,” she said.

The question is, she said, if Arvanitis still enjoys the confidence of party leader Alexis Tsipras.

“It’s been 24 hours since and Syriza has yet to condemn the offensive remarks by the radio station’s director Kostas Arvanitis,” New Democracy said in a statement on Monday, adding that.Syriza is “identifying itself with the gutter every minute that goes by with Arvanitis still in his position”.

Head on a platter

Arvanitis, however was unrepenting and hit back, saying that, under the Samaras government, “not just the news, but commentary is also under persecution”.

“I never was one to swear, but the gist of the matter is that Samaras is the one who should be apologising because he not only tried to use this horrendous crime that cost the lives of 10 colleagues for petty political purposes, he also exposed the country abroad.”

According to Arvanitis, New Democracy’s call for his dismissal is part of a government policy that has sent the country into a downward spiral in the world index of press freedom to 99th place.

“Today’s announcement that is demanding the head of a journalist on a platter confirms the news is under persecution,” he said.