NEWS

SYRIZA chief to sue Bild

The leader of the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) Alexis Tsipras on Thursday brought a legal suit against the German mass-circulation newspaper Bild, seeking 1 million euros in compensation for a report published in the tabloid last month deemed to have made slanderous claims against him and his party.

According to Skai, the suit, lodged by Tsipras’ lawyer, refers to ?a targeted attack on himself and SYRIZA? and to ?a blatant attempt to intervene in the country?s domestic affairs.» It also condemns the German article for «applying coercive pressure on Greek citizens to vote for the two main parties under the threat that otherwise, the tap to agreed-to economic aid would be turned off.?

The suit also accuses Bild of ?attempting to criminalize and demonize the left and SYRIZA? and of portraying its leader as ?an extremist,? ?of doubtful repute,? and ?a half criminal? who ?openly supports violent anarchists, is charged of belonging to their ranks and has been funding the gangs that burned 40 houses in Athens.? The reference is to the violent riots that marred a demonstration last month when Greece?s new debt deal with foreign creditors was being voted through Parliament.

The report is described as ?dangerous» and «seeking to cultivate hostility to Greece in Germany and to strain bilateral relations.”

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