Press Review April 9

The Chief State Prosecutor is seeking to muzzle the press to protect the government; the management of Olympiakos F.C. seeks to control the local government of Piraeus; exports fall for the fifth consecutive month; most Greeks are opposed to early parliamentary elections according to an opinion poll and a significant victory is scored for press freedom after a journalist’s arrest triggers protests. (Editor΄s note: front pages are from Tuesday due to yesterday΄s strike by journalists.)

The Press Project
9 Απριλίου 2014 | 09:45:32

	AVGI (Tuesday) Muzzled ‘AVGI’ is forced to circulate today with a blank front page in protest of the pre-emptive censorship imposed by the Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court Efterpi Koutzamani on request of Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias [On Monday Ms Koutzamani announced that anyone releasing ‘illegally obtained’ recordings would be subject to immediate arrest]. The aims is to deny citizens the right to be informed, to reduce transparency and to protect of those in power from revelations of scandals like that involving [former government general secretary] Baltakos and PM Samaras.
	EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON Vote for Olympiakos F.C. Moralis for mayor, Marinakis and Kokkalis for local council Top figures of the Olympiakos Athletic Club are seeking positions in the municipality of Piraeus creating a ‘ballot F.C.’ Capitalising on the influence and power that the team has, the owner, vice-chairman and former power-player are seeking to claim the third biggest municipality in the country.
	KATHIMERINI Exports fall Exports fell for the fifth consecutive month in February – and by 7%. The reduction in exports is expected to continue for the coming months due to problems created by the crisis in Ukraine.
	TA NEA Greeks vote for stability And say ‘no’ to early elections even in the event that SYRIZA dominates in the European election A small margin between SYRIZA and New Democracy in national and European elections Antonis Samaras is deemed ‘most suitable’ for the position of Prime Minister by a wide margin Citizens say ‘no’ to parliamentary elections even if in May SYRIZA leads in the European elections, according to a new opinion poll conducted by GPO and which was presented on the program ‘Anatropi’ by the journalist Giannis Pretenderis on Mega TV.
	ELEFTHEROS TYPOS A major victory for freedom of the press and democracy A tidal wave of protest over arrests / muzzlings All political parties (minus the Independent Greeks and Golden Dawn), the Union of Journalists of Athens (ESIEA) the Greek Federation of Journalists (POESY) and the European Federation of Journalists condemned the arrest of the ‘Eleftheros Typos’ reporter Despina Kontaraki following the defamation lawsuit filed against the journalist by the MP Rachel Makri of the Independent Greeks party. Following a circular issued by the Chief of the Hellenic Police Force, journalists will no longer face arrest under the ‘flagrant crime’ procedure for accusations of defamation unless it is ordered by the state prosecutor’s office.