French, German ambassadors voice solidarity in wake of blast
The French and German ambassadors to Greece condemned Monday’s bomb attack on Skai TV and Kathimerini newspaper during a visit to the headquarters of the media group in southern Athens Tuesday.
After inspecting damage caused by the blast, French Ambassador Christophe Chantepy and his German counterpart Jens Ploetner expressed solidarity with both the workers as well as the management.
No one was injured in the attack.
“Every attack on the press is an attack on democracy, because the press is the salt of democracy,” Chantepy said speaking in Greek, while voicing support for staff at Skai and Kathimerini.
Ploetner described media freedom as “the oxygen of democracy,” adding that “when this freedom comes under attack, then it’s like we are all under attack.”
The two diplomats met with Kathimerini’s executive editor Alexis Papachelas and Skai TV’s news director Nikos Filippidis and were briefed by Kathimerini’s police reporter Yiannis Souliotis on the latest developments in the investigation. Also present at the meeting were Tom Ellis, editor in chief of Kathimerini English Edition, as well as Xenia Kounalaki and Petros Papaconstantinou from Kathimerini’s foreign news desk.
Monday’s attack also drew condemnation from British Ambassador Kate Smith.
“We condemn the terrorist attack at Skai media group – an attack against democracy itself. Freedom of the press is the barometer of democracy and must be vigorously protected. Along with the people who serve it. The UK has made this aim its first priority,” she said in a tweet.
