Special Court: SYRIZA planned to control media

There was a plan by the SYRIZA-led government to acquire and control media, according to the multi-page reasoning of the Special Court, published on Monday, that led to the conviction of ex-minister Nikos Pappas to two years in prison over his handling of a 2016 TV license tender.

More specifically, the 13 members of the Supreme Court and the Council of State ruled that the SYRIZA government sought the creation of a channel to promote its interests and that Pappas played a leading role in the project’s implementation.

“Nikos Pappas, with continued actions [acts or omissions], sought to implement the plan devised by himself and other leading members of the then ruling party [SYRIZA], whose details have not been verified, in order to acquire media, which are under their control, and promote the political positions and actions of the then government, of SYRIZA and of the accused himself,” the court documents said.