Greek PM offers to reinstate limited state TV broadcasts

Athens: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Friday offered to partially reinstate state broadcaster ERT after its dramatic shutdown this week sparked protests in Greece and criticism across Europe.

"A temporary committee of broad inter-party approval can be appointed to hire a small number of (ERT) employees, so that the broadcast of information programmes can begin immediately," Samaras said in a statement

The Greek premier was referring to a return of some news programmes as ERT is considered a vital information link to the Greek diaspora and border areas.

Samaras risked a political crisis with his coalition partners by shutting down the broadcaster on Tuesday, claiming that ERT was too corrupt to save.

But the socialist and moderate leftist parties in the coalition rejected ERT's lockdown and refused to discuss any reform plans unless it reopened.

It also exposed the government to charges of authoritarianism from media groups in Greece and abroad.

ERT employees and journalists are protesting for a fourth day after Tuesday's shock decision, which saw the broadcaster shut down within hours of a government legislative act.