The first attempt for establishing a shortwave radio station took place immediately after the Greco-Italian War broke out in October 1940.

The shortwave transmission centre was established in 1972 with two 110 kW transmitters in Avlis, 37 kilometres (23 mi) northeast of Athens, with transmitting antennas directed to the inhabited continents.

After the collapse of the military junta in 1974, the shortwave programme was named "The Voice of Greece" and came under the then Radio News Management.

Almost 15 years later, with the institutionalisation and implementation of the Unified ERT body, it became autonomous and was named "The Fifth Programme - The Voice of Greece", coming under the ERA General Management.

This programme is transmitted in 12 languages: English, German, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Albanian, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish and Arabic.