No agreement in Greek coalition over closure of state broadcaster

Dimar party leader Fotis Kouvelis leaves the Greek prime minister's office Greece's coalition government was facing a rift Friday, after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his junior coalition allies failed to agree on the future of state broadcaster ERT, closed by the government last week.
"No one wants elections right now. Today we have marked one year as government and we will do our full (four-year) term," said the premier after an emergency cabinet meeting that he convened late Thursday, following the inconclusive talks with his allies.
Junior partner Fotis Kouvelis, leader of moderate leftists Democratic Left, expressed his objections to Samaras' handling of ERT.
"There was no agreement. For us it is a matter of democratic legality. We disagree with actions that offend legality," he said.
Leader of socialists Pasok, Evangelos Venizelos, said he continues to support the government.
"We want the government to continue operating as a three-party coalition," he said and called on Kouvelis to participate in a restructuring of the government's terms of collaboration.
However both of the smaller coalition allies have expressed deep misgivings about the sudden closure of ERT on June 11, a move which caused national and international uproar.
Thursday's meeting of the coalition partners was the third effort this week to break the political deadlock over the state broadcaster.
According to the prime minister, Kouvelis disagrees on the format that a transitional public TV should have, before a new broadcaster is set up.
"Yesterday we had an agreement, today Mr Kouvelis chose to distance himself from the solution he accepted yesterday," Samaras said.
"We are hoping for the support of the Democratic Left, but we will move forward either way," he added.
If Democratic Left withdraws its support, the government will be left with a narrow majority of 153 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament.
According to local media, Kouvelis is to confer with his party early on Friday.
Concerned over the latest political developments, the European Union called on the country's leaders to act responsibly.