Gov’t refutes SYRIZA charge of censorship

The government dismissed claims on Wednesday by opposition SYRIZA that it was censoring the media that are critical of it and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. 

“The government does not interfere in the media or in the work of journalists. It fully respects their independence,” government spokesman Stelios Petsas said in a statement.

“When required, the government responds to their publications and of course does not deal with internal issues of any media,” he said, adding that it was SYRIZA that tried to control the media when it was in power with its “illegal methods” and its effort to get journalists that were not amiable toward it sacked.

SYRIZA had cited a number of prominent journalists and columnists at major Greek papers that it said were censored.