Petsas: Ensuring citizens are informed is the State's best defence against fake news

Ensuring that the citizens' are well informed is the State's best defence against unfounded and dangerous fake news, stated Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and government spokesperson Stelios Petsas on Friday, while briefing parliament's Institutions and Transparency Committee on the management of the funds for the information campaign on the coronavirus, at the request of main opposition SYRIZA MPs.

Referring to the campaign underway to keep citizens informed, Petsas said it won't stop at the end of April. He noted that, on the contrary, it will continue as Greece was now entering the most difficult phase in the fight against coronavirus.

The process of returning to normality will be long and slow, he pointed out, and will not take place from one day to the next. "The start of the return depends on all of us because nothing has been finally determined," Petsas added.

He offered assurances that the government will do everything possible to minimise the repercussions of the pandemic, stressing that the priority was the protection of people's health, as every life saved was precious, as well as ensuring complete transparency in spending the tax-payers' money.

On the suspension of the payment of the annual installment for television channel operating licences, an issue raised by SYRIZA, Petsas clarified that the amount owed will not be written off but will be paid at a later date.