Open letter to Mario Draghi: Kostas Vaxevanis deplores Ηead's of the Bank of Greece attempts to silence the Press

Kostas Vaxevanis also sends the open letter to the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, the International Press Institute (IPI), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Index on Censorship, the international organization that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression.

Is the European Central Bank in favor of the depreciation and the silencing of the Press in Greece?

I guess the Head of the Bank of Greece, Ioannis Stournaras supports the Single Monetary Policy and Process in Europe. I also assume that he is in line with the values of the European civilization and freedom on which European Union is based. Nevertheless and for a significant amount of time, the Head of the Bank of Greece in Athens uses his official position to express personal interests and the delivery of politics not related to his institutional role, something that is against the Greek legal framework. According to the existing rules any irrelevant behavior to the post and duties of the Central Banker could lead, in extreme cases, to removal from his office. Let me please explain what I mean.

The Bank of Greece recently issued a formal announcement concerning the wife of Mr. Stournaras and her involvement with a scandal that is under investigation by respective courts. This announcement is in stark contrast to typical announcements for banking policy and serious issues concerning European financial policies. The official website of the National Bank of Greece is not the right place for Mr Stournaras to support his wife in a legal battle. The official website of the National Bank of Greece is not a personal or family website.

According to a report issued by the Auditors of the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Stournaras’ company got a successful bid by the Center of Infectious Diseases (ΚΕΕΛΠΝΟ) that is worth millions of euros. Following the report, the Prosecutors of Justice have conducted an investigation at the company’s headquarters in which several breaches of the law were detected.

HOT DOC (the magazine I am running) has actively contributed to the dissemination of the above information, namely the results of the investigation as well as other details that support the view that the tender under which Mrs. Stournara’s company got the job was extremely problematic. Nevertheless Mrs. Stournaras never provided any official response to these articles, the findings of which were based on the official assessments of national regulatory institutions. Those assessments concern not only her company, but also other companies that seem to have wasted taxpayers’ money.

On the 11th of October, Yiannis Stournaras, who has been called to testify in the Examination Committee of the Greek Parliament (in accordance with the Greek Constitution, this committee holds the role of Public Prosecutor), was asked by the Committee about the media articles concerning his wife’s case, and more specifically the article which revealed that four investigations about this scandal had been cancelled. Instead of properly responding to those questions, Mr. Stournaras attacked the MPs in a pejorative manner; addressing a MP in an unfamiliarly informal way he said “I know exactly who you are”- and accused the MP asking the questions that “it is not honorable for the MPs to refer and read the magazine” that hosted the article.

It is quite clear that the issue is not Mr. Stournaras’ rudeness but the way in which he treats the Press outlets that may express criticism on tangible cases of corruption. Mr. Stournaras exercised power using his institutional role and made accusations that insulted not only me and the magazine but the Press itself. According to Mr. Stournaras there is no Press and Freedom of the Press. There is only the Press we tolerate or we don’t tolerate, the Press we do like or we don’t like.

I have many questions on whether this behavior is in accordance with the ECB’s policies and the European culture of freedom and, more specifically, the Freedom of Press. On whether Mr. Stournaras considers the Central Bank his property and, even more, a fortress from which he attacks whoever poses criticism and publishes information that Mr. Stournaras disapproves.

It is of minor significance to add that I am an internationally awarded journalist who writes for the largest newspapers of the world. The crucial issue here is that the freedom of Press concerns every journalist and every opinion expressed in the public sphere.

The stance of Mr. Stournaras insults the European institutions. It is noteworthy that when, in the Greek Parliamentary Committee, MPs posed the question why Stavros Papastavrou – who is standing trial for “black money” circulation, and is included in the Lagarde list and Panama Papers – was officially invited by Mr Stournaras, for a meal at the Bank of Greece premises, Mr. Stournaras responded in an arrogant manner that he shall invite whoever he feels like. I am sure that the ECB business ethics have not changed as much as to require associating with people who stand on trial and have provoked public opinion, such as Mr. Papastavrou.

Every day, Mr. Stournaras behaves as if he were a state within a state, provoking the public sentiment for justice. On a daily basis, he keeps the Press busy, with publications that attribute to him the organizing of secret dinners where he is planning to become Prime Minister.

It is up to the ECB to decide if and how Mr. Stournara’s behaviour shall be restricted to his institutional duties. The attempt to discredit and attack the Press, though, as well as the insulting references to media outlets, in accordance with his preferences and – most importantly – his interests, are issues that are directly related to Democracy, which you are obliged to protect. I am confident that my concerns will be taken into serious account by your side.

Sincerely yours,

Kostas Vaxevanis

Journalist – Publisher of HOT DOC magazine