In a country notoriously slow at institutional reform, the fact that the national broadcaster was unexpectedly shut down within a day has stunned and angered many. ERT had been woven into Greece's identity during its 75 years of operations, its services announcing some of the most turbulent times: the Nazi invasion in 1941, the military coup of 1967 and now Greece's profound economic crisis.
The prime minister insists ERT is wasteful and inefficient. Its mismanagement is well known but employees say that is the fault of successive governments that brought in political appointees and got rich on corrupt practice.
This has now plunged Greece into a political crisis. Two coalition parties say they will resist the closure. There is talk of fresh elections, although the prime minister is banking on the fact that his coalition partners have minimal support and a new poll would be suicide for them. Greece's recent veneer of calm has been broken by this drastic move as the oldest broadcast media here is silenced.
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