House approves TV license decree

A government decree for the launch of a tender for four national TV licenses was approved by Greek Parliament late on Thursday by 154 votes.

Tensions rose in the House during a seven-hour debate on the decree, with State Minister Nikos Pappas (photo) accusing New Democracy and PASOK of having allowed television channels to operate “outside the boundaries of the law over the past 25 years,” after New Democracy chief Kyriakos Mitsotakis criticized the coalition for killing the pluralism of laissez-faire for its own political gain.