05-08-16  Ministry disburses 40,000 euros to repair refugee solidarity sit-in damage

Because the main opposition [New Democracy] party and the pro-opposition press have stated and written many groundless assertions on the government’s alleged responsibilities  regarding the occupation of University of Thessaloniki facilities by “Nobordercamp” [refugee solidarity protestors], the Education Ministry states the following:

1. The Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs - through Alternate Education Minister Sia Abagnostopoulou [competent for tertiary education] and ministry Secretary General Yannis Pantis – were in constant contact with the rector of the University of Thessaloniki, Pericles Mitkas, and in constant consultation with the Ministry of Justice, police authorities and local officials. The aim of all these contacts was to avert violent incidents and possible material damage within and outside the university.
2. The incident was handled with prudence and patience with all involved parties and the university community, ensuring calm and the public interest in the best possible manner.

1. On July 27, 2016, the rector of the University of Thessaloniki presented an analytical catalogue of damages to buildings and other infrastructure during these events. The damages consisted mainly of wall graffiti, the writing of slogans, and certain other damage to objects and equipment.
2. The Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs responded to the request of the university and, acting on the order of the ministry secretary general, undertook to immediately cover [the cost of] the damages, with special emphasis on the complete restoration of the old faculty of philosophy building,  disbursing to this end 40,000 euros from the ministry budget.

The above actions demonstrate the Education Ministry’s responsible approach in confronting a difficult problem, in contradistinction to the shrieks and irresponsible stance of New Democracy and personally [Party leader Kyriakos] Mitsotakis, who seek at every opportunity to clash and escalate matters in the context of a “law and order” dogma, disregarding the possible cost, even in human lives.

New Democracy, which supposedly is concerned about taxpayers’ money, appears to prefers that the money be wasted on the procurement of exorbitant chemicals and tear gas, or on hundreds of thousands of euros in potential compensation for the victims of [police] violence and autarchic attacks of the planter box variety [referring to a police brutality incident against a Cypriot university student which police falsely attributed to his falling on a planter].

The main opposition party should get serious. It is high time that they understand that heightened social problems such as the refugee crisis, or problems of youth, should be confronted with calm, thoughtfulness, and appropriate policies. By no means should they constitute a field for irresponsible opposition tactics, with blank cartridges. Let New Democracy and Mr. Mitsotakis stop seeking their identity in authoritarianism, and the passé conservatism of past eras.

Finally, we apprise the uniformed author of New Democracy’s press release that the Ministry of Education, while well aware of the Olympiads in which our students participate with exceptional results, is not aware of any organised competition entitled “Student Olympiad”, which indeed it would have been obliged to fund. Consequently, there is nothing to respond to on that.