Press rights watchdog condemns Polakis post, as SYRIZA to decide MP’s fate

Reporters Without Borders has condemned a controversial social media post by Pavlos Polakis, in which the firebrand SYRIZA lawmaker indicated that several prominent Greek journalists are part of a “deep state” operating in the country and must go.

“RSF strongly condemns the call of opposition MP & ex-minister Pavlos Polakis from SYRIZA to ‘get rid’ of 15 journalists due to their media’s editorial line. While pluralism is much needed in Greece, it cannot be achieved by dangerous targeting of individual journalists,” the Paris-based, nongovernmental organization said in a post on Twitter.

In a related development, meanwhile, SYRIZA chief Alexis Tsipras is scheduled to convene a meeting of the leftist opposition party’s executive bureau on Tuesday to decide on a further response to Polakis’ post. 

Polakis has already been struck from the party’s ballot for the next general election and was stripped of his title as shadow minister for transparency following Saturday’s post. He is widely expected to be ousted from the party, even though he represents the crucial district of Hania in Crete.