Refund pathway for media owners after botched TV licensing auction

The Greek Parliament approved an amendment paving the way to refund monies to media owners following last year’s botched TV licensing tender process.

State Minister Nikos Pappas submitted the amendment on Wednesday  allowing claimants to not  provide a tax clearance to collect the amount paid but that may be withheld or offset automatically with overdue debts to the taxman of social security funds.

The Government’s TV licensing tender was annulled by the country’s Supreme Court in October 2016 on the grounds that it violated an article of the constitution which stated that any licensing must be done by the country’s independent regulator.

Opposition parties approved the amendment with the exception of Golden Dawn, with New Democracy describing it as “the last act” of Pappas’ “personal Waterloo” and the Democratic Coalition saying the government is exposed.