In a statement, AKEL noted that "the complaint of interference by a senior RIK executive to cut the hosting of EDEK MP Kostis Efstathiou in the midday broadcast of the state broadcaster is extremely serious and offends freedom of expression and journalistic ethics. It comes in addition to a number of cases of interference from above, censorship of broadcasts and biased behaviour on the part of RIK during the current administration."
He underlines that it is regrettable that today, Press Freedom Day, it needs to be reminded that RIK is a public broadcaster that serves to inform the Cypriot people and no other.
"The management and the management of RIK must take a stand and give clear answers to those responsible for this action", he concludes.
"Freedom of the press with gagging on the state channel?" says the Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Co-operation
For its part, the Movement of Ecologists - Citizens' Co-operation notes that the information about "cutting" the MP of the EPP Mr. Costis Efstathiou just five minutes before going on air, by a senior executive of RIK.
Specifically, it notes that "the information that saw the light of day from the newspaper "Haravgi" refers to a demand by this executive not to go on air of the noon broadcast of RIK Mr. Efstathiou and the resignation of the host of the show, Dinos Finikaridis, for reasons of decency.
As noted, if the above information is correct, it is a resounding blow to freedom of the press and freedom of expression, especially on the day that the World Press Freedom Day is celebrated. Partisanship and financial interests seem to have their tentacles well wrapped up in various aspects of our country's public life.
Efi Xanthou, coordinator of the Movement's Internal Affairs Committee, said that "it is a terrible blow against Eleftherotypia, and a particular blow to the objectivity of the state channel, if the information is true that journalist Dinos Finikaridis has resigned from his position after a senior RIK official interfered with his program.
And this complaint is particularly worrying, since it implies not only the intervention of the management of the Foundation in Eleftherotypia, but also of at least one political party in this incident. We are saddened by the possibility that this interference may have occurred and we call on the Foundation to immediately clarify its position and what actions it will take to ensure the independence of its editors and presenters.
As the Citizens' Ecological Movement, we support public broadcasting, but such incidents must be a thing of the past. Public broadcasting is a public good and must continue to carry out its work unhindered."
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