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             Thousands Protest in Greece Against Broadcast Cutback

   Thousands of protesters rallied in Greece on Thursday as workers staged
   a nationwide strike to denounce the government`s shutdown of public
   broadcaster ERT.
   Demonstrators gathered outside ERT`s offices in Athens and Thessaloniki
   to urge Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to reverse his decision to take
   ERT off the air as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures.
   Mr. Samaras called a meeting for Monday with some center-left coalition
   partners that are calling for ERT to be re-opened.
   Buses and trains came to a standstill across Greece Thursday as part of
   a 24-hour nationwide strike called by Greek journalist unions to
   protest the shutdown of ERT. The unions have urged their members to
   strike until the broadcaster is re-opened.
   The government took ERT off the air early Wednesday, after announcing
   the shutdown Tuesday.
   Greek officials say the ERT closure is a temporary measure before a
   re-launch in a slimmed-down form. About 2,500 workers lost their jobs
   in the shutdown. The government has not given a date for ERT to
   re-open.
   Mr. Samaras is facing opposition from his coalition partners -- the
   socialist PASOK and the Democratic Left Party -- because of the
   closing.
   Greece is struggling to shore up its finances and meet the terms of an
   international bailout.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/thousands-protest-in-greece-against-b
   roadcast-cutback/1681037.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/thousands-protest-in-greece-against-broadcast-cutback/1681037.html