The interest of SYRIZA-PS in the defense of the Independent Authorities, the preservation of the rule of law in our country and his reaction to the recent government interventions in the composition of the Communications Privacy Assurance Authority (ADAE) and the National Radio and Television Council (NRC), the president of the SYRIZA-PS Parliamentary Group emphasized, Sokratis Famellos, at the meeting he held with the president of the Athens Bar Association (DSA), Dimitris Vervesos, at the offices of the DSA.

At the meeting, which was also attended by the secretary of the SYRIZA-PS party Dionysios Kalamatianos, Sokratis Famellos said addressing the president of the DSA:

“We also read your announcement yesterday with great interest, after the meeting you had with the three former presidents of the DSA. We also noted the reaction from your side regarding the procedures chosen by the government for the placement of members in the ADAE and the ESR, as well as your constant support for the operation and the prestige of the Independent Authorities. We therefore want you to convey your experience and opinion to us, respecting the institutional role of the Bar Association and the legal world of our country as a whole, for the continuous degradation of the rule of law by the government. This situation obliges us, both as active citizens and as political figures but also as servants of the law, to understand exactly what we must do to have a stronger Democracy. Because a stronger democracy is to the benefit of all citizens and we want a strong rule of law in Greece”.

Asked about the next moves of SYRIZA-PS regarding the issue that has arisen and the intervention of the government in the composition of the independent authorities, ADAE and ESR, he replied:

“We will first and respectfully listen to the opinion of the president of the Bar Association, then yesterday’s meeting. What we all need to do together, both in the Parliament and outside the Parliament, is to develop partnerships and a social agreement to defend the rule of law, due to the continuous degradation of the institutions of law in our country in general. And especially though we must defend the independence of the ADAE, which would examine the conclusion regarding the responsibilities of the EYP and the government in the serious issue of wiretapping -which has exposed us internationally-, but also of the ESR whose purpose is to safeguard the independence of the press and media pluralism. So we are talking about two pillars of the rule of law and we cannot stand idly by in the face of such interventions. We also declared today in the Parliament that we will take the initiative for consultation and cooperation with the rest of the progressive parties in the Parliament in order to defend the rule of law”.