Greece

[GR] Rule for the Pre-Election Radio and Television Coverage

IRIS 2011-1:1/35

Alexandros Economou

National Council for Radio and Television

The competent authorities will have to amend the legislative framework for the radio and TV transmissions of political parties during the pre-election period. This is a consequence of the annulment by the Plenary Session of the Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας (the Council of State - Supreme Administrative Court of Greece) of ministerial decisions related to the European elections of June 2009, following the submission of a request for annulment on the part of the political party Δράση (“Action”). According to the decision of the Court, the ministerial decision which established different starting points for the transmission of the messages of Greek political parties on radio and television on the basis of their previous representation in the European Parliament is contrary to the constitutional principle of equality. The principle of equality would require at least a common starting time for all political parties, in view of the fact that parties participating for the first time in the electoral race would have greater need of the coverage of their programme and positions.

The future provisions (which are usually published a month before the elections) will include the regulation of issues concerning the allocation of a reasonable amount of time to political parties (particularly by means of radio and television), while the further elaboration of Article 10 of Law 3032/2002, with which the power is given to the Minister of Internal Affairs to adopt relevant ministerial decisions upon the advice of the National Council for Radio and Television, is likely to take the form of new legislative provisions.