In a recent decision, the Council of State acquitted Mr. N. Papaoulakis, a former member and vice president of the National Telecommunications and Postal Committee (EETT), who was fired in 2018 for lack of political neutrality as he participated in the only meeting about the future of radio in New Democracy office.

Mr. Papaoulakis was targeted by N. Pappas, then a competent minister, because, as a member of the aforementioned Independent Body and an expert on telecommunications, he expressed an opinion different from the official, relatively widely commented conclusion of the University of Florence, that only four high definition (high definition) licenses for national channels were to be awarded in a then (2015) forthcoming tender for television licenses, which was later canceled by the Council of Europe. In particular, Mr. Papaoulakis was disciplined for violating the obligation of political neutrality and impartiality because, as a member of the EETT, he responded to the invitation of Ms. Michelle Asimakopoulou, then competent head of the ND. for telecommunications, to inform the relevant sector about the “tomorrow” of broadcasting in Greece. Although no one accused him of divulging confidential information to the EETT, Mr. Papaoulakis was punished with a permanent disqualification for the mere fact of his presence in the offices of the ND. By Decision No. 2374/2022, the composition of the seven members of the 3rd Department of the Council of State unanimously decided that the obligation of political neutrality does not in principle preclude “an exchange of views between a member of an independent authority and operational independence”, on the one hand, and the “institutional organs” of the State such as parliamentarians and leaders of political parties, on the other hand, on matters of public interest. And this is provided that his whole attitude does not give the impression that he “showed his political preferences.” This decision of the Council of Europe is not only a condemnation of the outdated and, unfortunately, timeless concept of independent authorities, which treats them with distrust, if not hostility. In addition, it helps to strengthen their constitutional position as institutional balances, which in modern democracy act as a bulwark against the desire of power, any power, to want everything at once.