“The bill of the Ministry of Culture gives additional incentives to be heard more and to protect the Greek-language song, as well as to support Greek creators,” the Minister told SKAI 100.3 Lina Mendoni. As he pointed out, the aim is to protect the intangible cultural heritage.

Asked to comment on the provision for the mandatory performance of Greek-language songs in common areas, Ms. Mendoni clarified that the bill only refers to the music that the hotelier or the owner of the tourist accommodation wishes to play in the waiting areas and in the elevators. to exist a 45% quota Greek-language song or Greek orchestral music. “That is to say, it is a very limited time and spatial part of the activity carried out by the accommodation or hotels. No one intervenes neither in the cafes, nor in the dining areas, nor, in any case, in the rooms. It is very, very much weighed where we intervene,” he noted.

Regarding the radio stations, he said that if a radio station wants to play this percentage of the music we recommend, will have more commercial time.

The Minister of Culture clarified for the cinematographic derivatives that nothing changes in terms of subsidy incentives. The bill will be in consultation until March 14.

The full text of the interview follows

Pavlos Tsimas: On the phone line, the Minister of Culture Mrs. Lina Mendoni, because on Thursday night a legislative proposal of the Ministry of Culture regarding music, Greek music, how and to what extent it is broadcast on radios and in public spaces was put into consultation or in hotels and so on and so forth. The bill contains a provision that I think is very important, namely the creation of an online database for Greek-language song and orchestral music by Greek composers, which is very important. It also foresees some incentives so that the music of the Greeks can be heard more often, it also contains some arrangements which from the beginning were negatively commented as problematic. Good morning Mrs. Mendoni, thank you very much

Lina Mendoni: Good morning Mr. Tsima, good week, and I thank you very much.

PT: I say, there are some things like this, let’s say, the creation of an online database that fills a gap because there is no equivalent for Greek song and it is very important to do. On the other hand, these quotas, how much Greek -Greek-speaking- music, or orchestral music of Greeks should be broadcast by radio stations and how much, what effects, rather what motivations in terms of advertising do radio stations have and what percentage should movies, cinematographic and subsidized television, a bit confusing things look like that.

LM: It’s difficult and I’ll tell you. The bill does not only have these provisions. It has a whole chapter that concerns the protection of the intangible cultural heritage, which we strengthen, also in accordance with UNESCO conventions. It also concerns the principles established by the European Union for intangible cultural heritage. In this context, on the one hand, with the Greek-language song, we want to protect the Greek language, but mainly the creators, the musicians, who, really, have been affected not only by the pandemic – many people say that they suffered from the pandemic – but not only that . In a globalized environment, English-language music has almost been imposed. The spread of Greek-language music is limited. Statistics show that 30% of Greek music is heard and 70% of foreign music. We, as the Ministry of Culture, obviously all of these are things for which, following the Constitution itself which clearly states that we must protect art, we have proposed a series of incentives. It is more of an incentive and not something mandatory. Here, just to open a parenthesis, to say that in many countries of the European Union, starting with France as early as the 80s, such quotas have been introduced compulsorily.

PT: Yes, France has done it to protect Francophone.

LM: Spain has done it for Catalan creators, Portugal has done the same, with mandatory regulations, just like Hungary and other countries in the European Union some decades ago. So, at the moment what we are saying is that we are giving incentives so that more Greek singing, Greek-speaking or Greek orchestral music can be heard. And in this way we indirectly support our creators. This is what really interests us.

P.T.: You know that the reactions… Let’s say, say the producers, the film directors, that if they tell us to have a regulation, in order to collect the subsidy, how much Greek-language music or orchestral music of Greeks to use, well then come to direct the film yourself, because this is a matter of artistic freedom.

LM: I absolutely agree and that’s how it is. And that is why the bill does not interfere at all with the criteria by which the cinema is strengthened. That is, we do not interfere at all in provisions that say how the Hellenic Film Center, for example, finances or subsidizes films, we do not interfere there at all. As, also, we do not intervene at all – because I also watched the discussion through social media over the weekend – about tourist accommodation. For example, there is a big discussion: But, at breakfast we want to listen to whatever music we want, in the pool we want to listen to whatever music we want, and Greek music doesn’t fit in the pool. But all this is not affected in the bill. The bill only talks about the music that, if the hotelier wants it, we do not impose it, or the owner of the tourist accommodation, to put in the waiting areas and in the elevators, there should be a quota of 45% of Greek-language songs or Greek orchestral music. That is, it is a very limited time and spatial part of the activity carried out by accommodation or hotels. No one interferes neither in the cafes, nor in the dining areas, nor, under any circumstances, in the rooms. It is very very weighted where we intervene.

PT: There is a question, how to say it, on the principle. That is, if in the world we live in, regardless of whether other countries have done it before us, if it is the right way to enhance artistic creation, this? That is, the national quota.

LM: I wouldn’t call it exactly a national quota. On the other hand, the Constitution itself mandates us to encourage and strengthen Art. Therefore, we must take positive measures to promote the free promotion of Art. It does not necessarily intervene and I told you from the beginning that it provides incentives and is within a wider framework of protection of intangible cultural heritage. Intangible cultural heritage is modern creation and we must protect it. And it is also our language. But we cannot ignore the fact that for many years the Greek state, and very correctly, the Greek state, has been subsidizing the cinema, subsidizing the theater. For music now comes a draft law which gives incentives to eventually strengthen copyright through the Related Rights Collection Organisations. Beyond that, however, it does not interfere in any way with the rest of the professional and financial freedom of businesses.

PT: Yes. For businesses, it’s professional freedom. For creators it is creative freedom. Why do I wonder? I read verbatim what the proposal says, that “Greek audio-visual and cinematographic films financed by the State are obliged to incorporate a Greek-language song or an orchestral musical performance of a Greek-language song at a minimum rate of 70%”.

LM: Yes, and we have brought this up in the consultation and the percentage is something we will discuss. On the other hand, keep in mind that the Hellenic Film Center in order to finance a film requires Greek citizenship! Here, it is not just any production, it is production that is subsidized, that is, ultimately financed by the state and the Greek taxpayer. Therefore, everything related to Greek creation and the Greek language, we must protect it as a cultural asset.

PT: And what will be the sanction if a creator who is financed by the Greek State does not respect this obligation? Is it losing funding?

LM: I think the bill is clear. There are no such provisions. Apart from some specific fines which are imposed in some cases, just so that there is not a blank letter. I repeat, especially for film productions, the method does not change at all. The incentives and subsidy criteria from the Hellenic Film Center do not change. What was true is true.

PT: Another discussion concerns the radio. That is, in a way, to give incentives so that more Greek music can be heard on the radio. In general this is a nice ambition, but I wonder how it is done?

LM: This again is at the radio’s discretion. There we give incentives, mainly in advertising time. If, for example, a radio station wants to play this percentage of the music we recommend, it will have more advertising time. He doesn’t lose anything. We give incentives. If, let’s say, he plays the Greek song at 12:00 in the evening for some people sitting and listening to the radio at that time, also no one will interfere, when he plays it. I repeat, it is motivation, it does not lose anything, we do not limit anything. We give extra incentives.

PT: Since I’ve seen a lot of negative comments, what comments have you seen in the consultation so far? Because four days have already passed…

LM: Look, in the consultation I have to tell you that most of the comments which are about 200, were at one point around 190, most of them are positive comments. I understand that one can say that the creators have intervened, which concerns them and that is why they intervene positively. There are also some negative comments in the official consultation. It’s not much, it’s very little. The vast majority are positive comments.

PT: The consultation is open until March 14

LM: The consultation is open and will remain until March 14. In all draft laws, which, at least, the Ministry of Culture has tabled from July 2019 until today, it is a given, and everyone knows it, that we take the consultation into account. We don’t do it for formal reasons, because that’s how we have to do it.

P.T.: Let me say again, after thanking you for this discussion, for me this prediction is indeed very important and I hope that this happens quickly, that an online database for Greek song is created, which does not exist, for the orchestral music of Greek creators, because this really is protection of intangible cultural creation.

LM: Exactly. And what I would like to say is that I am really upset by some comments which say: But, it is not possible to play Greek music, we do not sacrifice our hours to listen to Greek music. Let’s not be so disparaging of Greek creation. We have great creators, contemporary, who produce really great quality music. Let’s not be so level-headed.

PT: Thank you very much Mrs. Mendoni. Have a nice day

LM: Thank you too, Mr. Tsima. Good morning. Hello.