Greek Coalition Wrestles to Avoid Collapse

(AP) Greek coalition wrestles to avoid collapse
ATHENS, Greece
Party leaders in Greece’s ruling coalition are trying to heal the rift over the closure of the country’s state TV and radio broadcaster that is threatening to topple the government and compromise the country’s bailout program.

Conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is to meet later Monday with the leaders of two center-left parties in the year-old coalition. Both leaders have strongly opposed the prime minister’s decision last week to shut down the Hellenic Broadcasting Corp. or ERT.

Shares on the Athens Stock Exchange were 2.5 percent lower ahead of the meeting expected after 6:00 p.m. (1500GMT).

ERT staff has continued unauthorized live programming since the June 11 closure, backed by European Broadcasting Union which represents public TV and radio stations across the continent.