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Anastasia Balezdrova

Almost a week after the first publications about the sale of the party broadcaster "902", the Greek Communist Party (KKE) has announced its buyer. The announcement has been published on the website of the media. According to the text, the buyer is the Cypriot offshore company A-Orizon Media LTD, but it is not clear who is behind it. The communists indicate the difficulties caused by the economic crisis as the reason for their decision to sell the media. "Faced with the risk of closing the broadcaster we have preferred to sell it thus overcoming the difficulties associated with the payments to employees and insurance funds," writes the KKE.

There had been rumours about the sale as early as April 2011, when the dismissals of the technical staff of the radio had begun. The Central Committee of the KKE announced in September 2012 its decision to interrupt the broadcasts, backing it with the argument that the party was not able to take on the high costs associated with them.

The text makes it clear that the issues related to the fate of the party's media started a lot earlier after party members were informed of them and of the possible closure at least a year ago.

The "902" TV channel had not been broadcasting for a few months. The party headquarters announced on 8 January this year that its broadcasts would be restored. Apparently, the decision was taken because of the risk of revoking its licence to broadcast throughout the country in the case of a lengthy interruption of the programmes. The rumours that "902" TV and radio stations would be sold had immediately reappeared. Various sources had even indicated the names of the potential buyers and the price, namely between 5 and 10 million euro.

"KKE may re-sit an examination in "company management" but it has excellent marks in the field of inconsistency in words and activities."

The news that the communists are selling their radio and television broadcaster "902" has provoked many reactions. The main criticism against the KKE is that the party is blaming the government for the privatization programme of troubled state-owned enterprises but, in practice, it is doing the same with its media, fully following the capitalist pattern.

The main problem, however, is connected with the television frequency of "902". GRReporter has contacted George Plios, Head of the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Athens, who explains that the frequencies were provided with temporary permits. "All private television channels have the same permits. However, a few years after their submission, the Council of State (the highest administrative court – author’s note) defined them as illegal. This means that the private broadcasters as well as the "Public television" which has appeared after the closure of the state broadcaster ERT are illegally broadcasting," he said.

"902" is KKE’s political and moral tombstone."

According to other sources the state had granted the frequency to the party in 1989 free of charge and therefore KKE should not sell something that it does not own, which had been confirmed by the intervention of the main opposition SYRIZA party in the debate via "Avgi" newspaper. The authors of the article emphasized the danger that "a frequency that has been granted to the left wing party will pass into the hands of unprincipled businessmen who are playing by the rules of Samaras and who are open even to the far right." They had even attached a proposal of leftist journalists who insisted, "The ‘902’ frequency should remain in the political left because it is not owned by one party. It is the social assets of the left wing."

The response of KKE was instantaneous. The communists state, "‘902’ has been the radio and television broadcaster of the Greek Communist Party from the beginning of its operation to today." The bickering is continuing to this day. It had started in the not so distant 1991 when the united left coalition of the time, including KKE, had been dismissed. The so-called "innovators" tried to obtain the frequencies and the dispute related to the company Radiotileoptiki AE and its shares reached the courtroom. The decision of the judicial authorities was in favour of the communists.

The comments of the majority of users of social networks are funny but the bitter taste of the political hypocrisy of the communists lies behind their words. Here are some specific comments on Twitter:

"The sale of ‘902’ shows how much the communists themselves believe in what they are promoting."

"So, legal is moral. Like an ordinary cheater, you are selling something that the state has granted for free... The immortal KKE."

"KKE may re-sit an examination in "company management" but it has excellent marks in the field of inconsistency in words and activities."

"902" is KKE’s political and moral tombstone."