Urgent question C. Ears to Commission: “Recall the decision of Deutsche Welle on the cancellation of the Greek programme”

An urgent question to the European Commission, calling on it to intervene in order to revoke the decision of Deutsche Welle regarding the cancellation of the station’s Greek programme, has been submitted by the MEP of the Southwest, Giorgos Avtias, as a member of the Finance Committee and as a “journalist for 35 consecutive years”, as he notes in a relevant statement.

Avtias also calls for the jobs of Greek workers employed in the programme to be safeguarded, and for European funds to be allocated to support multilingualism and diversity in the National Broadcasting Networks. In his question, Mr Avtias said that the Greek broadcast of Deutsche Welle “has long been a unique bridge of communication between Greece and Germany, as was proven in the period of the euro crisis”. It also, he continues, “contributes to a sober and informed debate on European issues, with a firm focus on the idea of European integration, while promoting the value of pluralism at national and European level.”

The text of Mr Avtia’s question is as follows:

“It was with great surprise and dissatisfaction that I was informed by reports in the printed and electronic press of the closure of the Greek Service and the corresponding Deutsche Welle broadcast (DW Griechisch, DW Greek) after 62 years of continuous and uninterrupted operation, as part of a package of measures to save money. This is a journalistic programme with a tradition and rich content, which has been working for decades with the major media in Greece. In fact, it is a unique bridge of communication between Greece and Germany, as was demonstrated during the euro crisis. I consider its contribution to the coverage of European news particularly valuable. With reports from the European Parliament and the European Commission in Brussels and Strasbourg, Deutsche Welle’s Greek Broadcasting contributes to a sober debate on European issues, with a firm focus on the idea of European integration, while promoting the value of pluralism at national and European level.

On the basis of these facts, will the European Commission:

1. How does it assess the fact that a journalism programme with a valuable contribution to pluralism and media diversity in Europe is being abolished?

2. Does it intend to intervene in order to reverse the decision to abolish Deutsche Welle’s Greek programme and to protect Greek workers?

3. Under the Freedom of the Media Regulation, will it allocate funds for multilingualism and diversity to the National Broadcasting Networks?”