the defense lawyer for costas vaxevanis dismissed these charges as outrageous and invalid. he said there was no proof at all that mr. vaxevanis had violated personal data because the list that was published simply had the names of over 2,000 greeks who are said to hold a bank account at hsbc in switzerland and the bank name itself. there was no data published on how much money was in these accounts or these bank account numbers. so when i spoke to him yesterday, he said this is not a breach of privacy. you do not go to your bank account in disguise, and he said that it's not he who should be in the dark, it is the ministers who he believes have covered up this list for the last two years and simply sat on it rather than following up a potentially serious case of tax evasion. >> i was struck, mark, by how little exposure in terms of the media his story has had in greece. what about the trial? >> there has been more coverage of his trial, and there's certainly been a lot of support for his trial and for his case, certainly his point of view in the social media here and on var

public claiming their handling tax evasion vaxevanis was set free after the judges decided that he did not have a case to answer however his story is sent a shockwave through an already fractious society we are in a period of political fossil and political crisis social crisis it's obvious we have. high rates of unemployment we are a real thing one might say weimar republic kind of unemployment levels there is poverty. there or there is more austerity coming but when it comes to reporting on government business one senior member of the greek union of journalists told me that it's getting close to cooperate all quit a mess some of its own members and tough restrictions have been imposed to any voice of the opposition and the media restricting journalists some two thousand five hundred media professionals technicians included have lost their job since last year. and those who attempt to stand up to authority and expose corruption are handcuffed guy to be arrested because he revealed the names obviously you can understand that people can cooperate with the state but vaxevanis told me he w

but vaxevanis told me he will keep silent i asked him if he was given another list of names they already do this is my job this is what journalists do they don't cover scandals yet they told the truth and the elites tried for two whole years to come for a major evidence that renders them in the system entirely unreliable one of the good from the arrest of a journalist while trying to reveal wrongdoing has left some greeks feeling that the democratic rights of the road here and the very birthplace of democracy peter all of us are to see. greece has its work cut out athens apparently needing to introduce another one hundred fifty changes to its financial policies to please its international creditors investment advisor patrick young though thinks it's a futile effort alice in wonderland that fabulous children's book had an alice famously saying that sometimes she imagines six impossible things before breakfast well not going to the troika of lenders and their emerging one hundred fifty eight impossible cuts before breakfast for the greek economy look the greeks are in this mess because ult

to the streets of athens the council list for their outrage was the arrest of journalist cost us vaxevanis after he revealed the names of more than two thousand wealthy and highly influential greeks accused of stashing illicit gains in sweet spanking accounts and the numbers would not. be published a list that other countries had in their possession in our government was aware of for two years but did nothing in the absence of democracy reece is governed by corrupt cartoon characters who deceive the public claiming their handling tax evasion vaxevanis was set free after the judges decided that he did not have a case to answer however his story is sent a shockwave through an already fractious society we are in a period of political and political crisis social crisis is obvious we have. high rates of unemployment we have a real thing one might say weimar republic kind of unemployment levels there is poverty. there are there is more austerity coming but when it comes to reporting on government business one senior member of the greek union of journalists told me that it's getting close to coop

but vaxevanis told me he won't keep silent i asked him if he was given another list of names they already do this is my job this is what journalists do they don't cover skin they told the truth in the elites tried for two whole years to convert me to evidence that renders them in the system entirely unreliable one of the good from the arrest of a journalist while trying to reveal wrongdoing has left some greeks feeling that their democratic rights have been a road here in the very birthplace of democracy peter all of a party. that's the greek government continues to push through painful cuts the strategy is being challenged by the country's court on thursday and ruled that the planned pension reforms could be unconstitutional as greece or portal have to introduce another one hundred and fifty financial changes to please its international creditors but investment adviser patrick young says it still won't be fulfilled no matter what the case alice in wonderland that fabulous children's book had alice famously saying that sometimes she imagines six impossible things before breakfast well now

vaxevanis told me he won't keep silent i asked him if he was given another list of names they already do this is my job this is what journalists do they don't cover scandals they tell the truth and the elites have tried for two whole years to cover up major evidence that renders them in the system entirely unreliable for the good from the arrest of a journalist while trying to reveal wrongdoing has left some greeks feeling that their democratic rights are being roads here in the very place of democracy peter all of a see. they had to have daily greece don't know that says the revelations couldn't come at a worse time for his country's leaders journalists and politicians can be in bed together for many years they kates in going to face and. politics you know we do crises these deep crisis we're experiencing the last two years then journalists follow we are already met countdown to day we count that he buys two thousand and thirteen. the euro group will have a year a working group the syrian says sure we are waiting for two years extend sure everything is holding their breath and we don

between their relationship with government and the journalists let couple days ago we saw that mr vaxevanis who is a hope you are journalist the investigative journalist in greece was arrested because he was a keep out of the guard least the way to gold with more than two thousand greek people who have money in debt was it's a nice recent bank this least it is sad that it was given to this then the finance minister mr up on sunday no but he never gave it gave it to the government to the responsible to the responsible people to investigate what's going on so mr vaxevanis sung that police and decided to cobble seats and he was arrested for that reason so government was blamed for a sensor see it because it is not possible to have any information for example and not been published many journalists even that simple people say that mr buckles that he knew that then finds ministers to be arrested and not this journalist who revealed the truth. meanwhile to greet cv presenters were suspended on monday also they criticized the minister own a journalist degrees have staged a wave of strikes condemni

anonymous who broke into government computers now at the same time another greek journalist costas vaxevanis is on trial for breach of privacy for publishing the names of two thousand greeks with swiss bank accounts let's get some comment on this fast moving story we'll talk to georgia a couple of scenes from greece's pair of political newspaper so thanks for being with this spirit of fairness was taken into custody wasn't it just says the reserve promising to unveil proof for those allegations or just said do you think the government has got some interfere here is trying to hide something. a fast moving story whether they can hear me sir can you hear me i can i can i'll give you that question again spirits spirits carets unserious was taken into custody just as he promised to unveil proof of his allegations do you think the government has got something to hide whether it is a very complex issue a case of fierce courage or fair it and that of course the vaxevanis prove that the great government has already not a clear strategy today in the dark evasion program and nevertheless i would sat th

story now greek reporter and editor cost us vaxevanis is facing a trial charged with breaching privacy laws they saw after he published the so-called lagarde list containing the names of wealthy greeks with secret swiss bank accounts and for monday so now across live to ask a contributor ironies i could do it in first good morning ari nice to see you so do tell us more about the trial of course suspects have on this. good morning first of all where outside the main headquarters of greek. greek the journalists who work at the republic than a resume are on strike called the twenty four hours we talk about this later on about what savan is now he faces court today. now he should be at the court and we expect to see what is going to happen they say that he has violated the privacy laws for publishing the names. overseas deposit tours and the main problem is that even though the greek government this one the past one when mr mckibben been was finance minister had god how did this lease the lease a la garde place as it is called he gave it to nobody and he told no couple days ago he told tha

course it's vaxevanis is in court as we speak so how much will the verdict in this case mean for investigative journalism in greece entering or. we don't used to have this grand of trials and investigations about journalists because we heard there pretty soon greece but as we can see they go out. some changes mr about seven this issue is really difficult issue for press because he published for from his magazine the name of the two thousand name of bromine and greeks which they have a bank account in the switzerland maybe they had some they had some text evasions but this is not sure for this isn't now he's going to trial of course. greeks doesn't like this kind of things and so for this reason many greeks will be in front of the trial today. and also there's an ongoing strike over this is functional to t.v. presenters as well who criticize the minister on ash would that be such punishments for simply questioning government actions that. yeah there is an opinion that some governments are trying to manipulate the media because of the. because they are a gang of these new measures of i.m.f. and

anonymous who broke into government computers now the same time another greek journalist cost us vaxevanis is on trial for a breach of privacy for publishing the names of two thousand greeks with swiss bank accounts i spoke to him got so he's from the free press magazine they told me the greek government is cracking down the media right now to limit the flow of information to the people. journalists in greece so absolutely doing their job the country is in crisis but people need to know what's going on and their role is on telling them what these are journalists doing. is trying to reveal to the public the very most important information relating to the economic crisis i mean cost us votes in viruses that expose a relate to the real crisis in greece and in other countries to which tax avoidance and the export of capital only taking money out of the country which is what's happened to the greek economy the government is in absolute crisis in greece the economy is tottering as much terrible social deprivation it's a terrible time for greek people and they're being very badly treated not just

anonymous who broke into government computers now the same time another great journalist costas vaxevanis is on trial for breach of privacy for publishing the names of two thousand greeks with swiss bank accounts let's get some comment on this tonight tim gods is the editor of free press magazine campaigning for more accountable media to crave the good of your program and now in light of these arrests nothing i've just said do you see a problem with media freedom brewing in greece i would say so because they're getting a bit close to home day i mean journalists in greece oh absolutely doing their job the culture is in. riteish the people need to know what's going on and their rules on telling them what to do what do you make of what's happened there do you believe that this has been too quick too heavy handed a response by the greek authorities and when of course one of these journalists even get to reveal the information he claims to have had i guess it does prove that the government maybe has got some to hide yes well i would say so yes i mean they are trying to close it down on day bec

anonymous who broke into government computers now the same time another greek journalist costas vaxevanis is on trial for breach of privacy for publishing the names of two thousand greeks with swiss bank accounts i spoke to him gob syl from free press magazine he told me the greek government is cracking down on the media to try to limit the flow of information to the people. journalists in greece are absolutely doing their job the country is in crisis but people need to know what's going on and their rulers aren't telling them what do you make of what's happened there do you believe that this has been too quick too heavy handed response by the greek authorities and when of course one of these journalists even get to reveal the information he claims to have had i guess it does prove that the government maybe is concerned idea well i would say so yes i mean they tried to close it down on day because what these are journalists are doing is trying to reveal to the public the very most important information relating to the economic crisis i mean cost us votes of viruses exposure relate to the

anonymous broke into government computers at the same time another greek journalist course thus vaxevanis is on trial for a breach of privacy for publishing the names of two thousand greeks with swiss bank accounts fellow greek journalist says be only governments says rather the government's only way to push their cots through it's to silence the media. a lot of journalists a mouth and reasoned of course how do you when you i'm afraid to quite know that is enough back to put is a pretty in greece. a lot of generally separate thought the coalition government strug struggling to push through and i don't want to go state of the problem because the only way to do to succeed by the. media the problem now is the government drive favorite way you mr summer i was the prime mean is that it would be way to begin to money too late for a. private media a lot of generally dry who is the government vip with the journalist not the enemy the enemy is outside of course is not. the man of protests and of generalists funding for the european union has sparked a rebellion in the british parliament prime mini