Culture ministry employees criticize Mendoni over disciplinary threat
The union representing employees at the Culture Ministry on Wednesday lamented Minister Lina Mendoni’s decision to take disciplinary action against two colleagues who called the police to report the presence of minors at two screenings of fantasy thriller “Joker” last weekend.
The controversial incidents took place at a movie theater that was screening the Hollywood blockbuster in a mall in the northern suburb of Maroussi on Saturday, where eight children and their parents were brought in for questioning, and at a downtown Athens cinema on Sunday, involving seven children.
“Every attempt to target employees of the ministry and every threat of ‘disciplinary measures’ must stop,” the union said in a press release.
“Employees implement current laws and laws are the responsibility of the political leaders who propose them,” it added and condemned the entry of officers in the movie theaters.
It also called for an amendment of the law in question to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Speaking at a private TV station Monday, Mendoni refuted claims by two ministry officials who called the police that they had been ordered to monitor attendance by the minister.
She said that even though the two officials are on the committee responsible for assigning ratings for public spectacles, they have no authority to call in the police and will be brought up before a disciplinary board.
