According to the union, ‘the Greek-language service constitutes a historic channel of communication and mutual understanding between the two countries’, having made a substantial contribution both to informing the Greek public and to fostering relations between Greece and Germany.

The union’s statement reads:

‘The board of ESIEA once again calls on Deutsche Welle (DW) to reverse the decision it took last February to abolish its Greek-language service at the end of the year.

‘The union’s board opposed the decision from the outset and has organised an information campaign aimed at reversing this unjust decision, as the Greek-language service is the only one of the broadcaster’s 32 language services that is being abolished entirely.

‘This decision concerns not only access to information but also Deutsche Welle’s journalistic presence in Greece, which has provided authoritative and reliable reporting for decades.

‘The Greek-language service is also a historic channel of communication and mutual understanding between the two countries. It has contributed substantially to informing the Greek public and fostering relations between Greece and Germany, through a language that has left an indelible mark on European culture, values and the historical course of Europe.

‘The board has sent Deutsche Welle’s management and executives, as well as the German ambassador to Greece, Andreas Kindl, letters, resolutions and statements of support from organisations and public figures whom we asked to back our campaign and contribute to preserving the Greek-language service.

‘We warmly thank all those who have joined us, in every way, in the effort to overturn Deutsche Welle’s decision.

‘Resolutions in support of the campaign have been adopted by:

‘The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), representing 600,000 media professionals through 187 associations in more than 140 countries; and

‘The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), representing 296,000 media professionals through 76 associations in 44 countries.

‘Support has also been considerable outside the journalistic community and continues to grow.

‘So far, 1,214 signatures have been collected, most of them from journalists who are members of our union.

‘Those who have responded to ESIEA’s call with letters of support include:

‘the mayors of three emblematic areas of Greece, the Holy City of Messolonghi and the martyred municipalities of Distomo and Kalavryta;

‘four associations of book publishers representing 1,000 members across the country;

‘the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece;

‘Metropolitan Augustinos of Germany;

‘the Association of Greek Olympic Champions;

‘the Association of Descendants of Fighters of 1821;

‘the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece, representing 480 associations in Greece. It is worth noting that thousands of Pontian Greeks emigrated to what was then West Germany during the 1960s and 1970s;

‘POESY and the journalists’ unions of Greece;

‘the Unified Journalistic Organisation of Auxiliary Health Insurance (EDOEAP);

‘the ESIEA Educational Foundation;

‘the Cyprus Union of Journalists;

‘the Foreign Press Association; and

‘Xenophon, the collective management and copyright protection organisation for journalists.

‘The campaign is also supported by 129 public figures.

‘The fight continues!’

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