DHAKA: Riot police stormed the former Greek state television headquarters in Athens on Thursday and evicted dozens of fired journalists, ending a five-month sit-in against the broadcaster’s closure.

The government took ERT off air in June to meet a target for public-sector job cuts set by foreign lenders, triggering a political crisis that prompted one party to quit the ruling coalition.

The pre-dawn eviction by police came as inspectors from European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders were in Athens reviewing the progress it made in meeting the targets of its multibillion bailout before disbursing more funds.

Minor scuffles broke out between some protesters and riot police, who had cordoned off the area and blocked the entrance to the building that has been draped for months with banners reading ‘ERT Open’ and ‘No to layoffs’, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 2110 HRS, NOV 07, 2013
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