Meeting with ESIEA Trade Unions (Association of Editors of Athens Daily Newspapers), ETH (Association of Greek Radio Techniques), as well as representatives of employees in DAWN and RED had the president of SYRIZA-PS Socrates Famelloe.
At the meeting he presented the complete picture of the financial situation of Augne and 105.5 in the Red in which SYRIZA is a shareholder, as well as the funding paid by the latter for their operation, underlining the priority for paying the employees’ accruals.
According to information from Koumoundourou circles, the following were noted:
– According to the data provided to the Political Secretariat with the start of 2025, the two party media had high debts, deficit operation and no revenue.
– From December 2024 until April 2025, party funds have been disbursed, from the party subsidy of SYRIZA MS and from members’ contributions, about 1,200,000 euros to party media.
– To the timeless financial problems of the media has been added to reduce state funding after the 2023 elections, and thus the reduced capacity of the key shareholder to contribute the amounts it has paid in the past.
– In the 4.5 months of the election of the President, 5.5 wages have been paid to employees and in addition to Christmas and Easter gifts.
The mobilizations of party workers are their inalienable right. But in fact they question the function and informational role of the media, as our constant effort has been and are the means to remain open. Decisions that have existed, such as the embargo on Red for party executives, are unprecedented not only for SYRIZA but also for any party and any radio station.
The Political Secretariat examined alternative scenarios in January for the salvation of party media, taking on both the opinion and proposals of the workers and on this decision.
The assessment of SYRIZA’s leadership is that, with the data available to date, party media are not viable. The SYRIZA-PS President’s commitment is that all salaries will be paid to all workers and a plan to reorganize the media will be presented to avoid bankruptcy.