ATHENS – The Union of Greek Actors (SEI) criticized the references to it by former National Theater director Dimitris Lignadis in his testimony before he was detained pending trial on molestation charges of minors.

"The claims he uses to criticize the union itself and, in the end, each of its members individually, are not original," the union said in a response on Friday, "they have been used by others in the past and bear no relation to reality."

An attack on the union, which was founded in 1917, aims at deflecting popular opinion from the substance of the case, it said, and proves the need for collective labor bodies and struggles for small and large issues.

SEI also announced a general assembly meeting on March 21, in which the members will vote on a proposal by the board of directors to expel Lignadis permanently because of "adequate indications resulting from his detention for serious crimes which violate the public sense of humanitarianism and justice," as outlined by the founding charter of SEI.

In addition, the union said it would hold a protest march of all artists on March 4; participate in called work stoppages and actions on March 8 for Women's Day; and attend protests over the year-long cultural restrictions due to the coronavirus, on March 13 and 14.