Mitsotakis: “We will not allow the Universities to develop into blind violence celebrations”

The message that his government “will not allow blind violence and destruction celebrations” was sent to you by the Prime Minister with Sunday’s established review. “I want to send the message that we are not going to allow “party” to university sites to evolve into blind violence and destruction celebrations,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis points out in his Sunday review referring among others to security at Universities. It emphasises that “for such incidents there must be consequences, and what the law provides reaches the final elimination of students”. And he adds: “It is the responsibility of university disciplinary bodies to implement the law, which must finally be implemented… In any case, our universities belong to all students. They cannot be denied access to academic knowledge by individual minoritys making illegal occupations. No one can lock himself in there, vandalize public infrastructure and perhaps even commit violence in the name of a protest.” More specifically, the Prime Minister’s post reads: “Good Sunday of Halloween to everyone and everyone! This weekly review is full of examples of how our policies and reforms help to provide real support and opportunities for a better life for fellow people who need it. To our young people who find it difficult to find affordable housing, with my Home program. To new moms and new dads who seek help in guarding their young children while working, with the “Dandades of Neighborhood”. To those who accumulated debts during the crisis and want to make a new start with fewer burdens, with the new, improved extrajudicial mechanism. To patients who wait two and three years on waiting lists for a surgery, with the new afternoon surgeries. People with disabilities who are finally supported by the state after decades to live more autonomously and equally with the rest of the citizens, thanks to the “Personal Assistant”. To those who want and can continue to work without being deprived of their pension. To our farmers who are anxious for high production costs and provide them with cheap current over the decade. To those who are afflicted by delays in Justice, by the disengagement of the courts. We are implementing a policy programme that focuses on man and his daily problems. With the aim of making our country more European, more modern, safer and fairer. I start from the end, with another major reform passed this week and aims to speed up the administration of justice that is unduly delayed in our country compared to the rest of Europe. We have to do a lot to speed up procedures. The last and important measure that has just been voted on concerns the transfer of material to lawyers and notaries from the courts, a practice followed by all European countries. For example the registration and amendment of statutes of many associations and professional associations, inheritances and heritage acceptance acts, registrations and deletions of consensus mortgage markings are relatively standard procedures that from now on will be handled by lawyers and notaries. The removal of this material will allow judges to take advantage of their time to study more complex dossiers and the faster adoption of decisions. In addition, the court secretariats will be discharged, as the affidavits will now only be made by notaries or lawyers. Acceleration of justice is one of the major demands for our country, steps have been taken but we are still behind compared to the rest of Europe. So we have to run. I will continue with the impressive evidence from the implementation of the new improved extrajudicial mechanism that gives automated settings to red loans with a “haircut” approaching 30%. In February 7,360 new debtor applications were submitted, more than twice the previous months. The average in 2023 was 3,400 new applications per month. The application record is related to the improvements made by the Treasury on the platform of the extrajudicial mechanism and entered into force since last month. That is to say, in addition to the additional “hairing” of the debt to loans with tangible collateral, the obligation for banks, servicers and the State to accept the proposal of the extra-judicial mechanism for vulnerable debtors, the reduction of the interest rate for all debt arrangements to 3% for 3 years and the possibility to join the extrajudicial mechanism persons who “inherited” debts. Also a record number was recorded in February as regards successful debt arrangements, they became 1,222. Thus, to date, through the extrajudicial compromise we have benefited 14,322 of our fellow citizens with successful debt arrangements corresponding to 5,17 billion euros of initial debts. With this policy, which is deeply social, we give a solution to a major problem that has been holding thousands of our fellow citizens hostage for many years, giving them a real second chance to start their lives again with fewer burdens. Another important reform seems to succeed, providing incentives for pensioners to return to work and at the same time tackling undeclared retirement work. Over 41,000 are statements made by retired workers in the first 18 days of the special platform. This figure is about 17% higher than recorded figures at the end of 2023, before the retention of 30% of the pension was abolished. Re-entering the labour market and experienced workers will contribute to the economic activity and increase the state’s revenue through the expansion of the tax base. By the way, I would like to mention the latest from the course of the pilot project “Personal Assistant” aimed at improving the quality of life for disabled people and their families, their independent survival and their equal participation in all aspects of social, economic, political, cultural life. Already the beneficiaries reached 544, 669 personal assistants have been hired, and – by interdisciplinary committees – 413 other stakeholder assessments have been made. So far, the programme has only been implemented in Athens, but within 2024 it will be extended to all regions. Each beneficiary and any beneficiary receive a specific amount per month and chooses himself or herself from the Personal Assistant Register the Personal Assistant or Personal Assistants of his choice. Funding for the project for 2023 came from the Recovery and Durability Fund. There is great interest in the “Dandades of Neighborhood”, an innovative for the Greek data pilot program of family support and especially working woman, which is added to the significant increase in the voucher we give for day care stations. Especially for neighborhood nannies 2449 applications have been submitted so far, 1296 were approved and 207 agreements have already been signed. I continue with the big housing program “My House” that facilitates young and young couples to have their own home, with a low subsidised interest rate that leads to a monthly installment of less than a rent. So far, 4,835 of our young fellow citizens up to 39 have disbursed loans totalling 467.5 million euros. Up to now, 5.551 contracts of EUR 536.5 million have been signed and 9,881 loans of EUR 1 billion have been approved. Let’s go to the afternoon surgeries. You will have heard that the first took place last Tuesday in Northern Greece -4 in Papageorgiou hospital, the other 3 in AHEPA and in Kavala and Alexandroupolis hospitals. Athens, specifically Evangelism and the CAT, then took the bat, while two other major hospitals of the Lecanopeion, G. Gennimatas and Salvation, also announced that afternoon surgery began. They’re not the only ones. The vast majority of hospitals across the country have shown interest in joining the new regulation as dozens of patients make appointments for surgeries. From a study carried out it is estimated that with the new institution the capacity of the system is expected to increase over 20%. The prioritization of interventions is based on the new Digital Single List of Surgerys and the cost of medical operations is much lower than in private hospitals in which patients were forced to resort due to the ban that was in force until after noon, except regular hours. With this policy, which I would like to note, it applies to all countries of Europe, the suffering of the citizens is reduced and the costs incurred in private hospitals are reduced. At the same time, the ESY and the income of its doctors and nurses are strengthened. It’s a win-win policy for everyone. I stress again that morning surgery is not affected at all, it will be done properly and even the clinics will be strictly controlled if they actually do the scheduled surgery. I am going to the agricultural issue and the commitments we have made and we are making towards the reasonable requests made last month by the farmers’ representatives. Our farmers, our farmers, what we can and cannot do on the basis of existing possibilities. But they also know very well that this government was, is and will always be there for them. In addition to returning VAT to oil on a permanent basis from 2025 which we already agreed would be done, we were committed to cheap electricity. We said it and we do it. The amendment with the additional support measures of farmers was tabled in Parliament, i.e. debt regulation and cheaper agricultural current with a fixed invoice – from 9.3 to 11 minutes per kilowatt hour at a depth of 10 years – from renewable energy plants. In respect of debts which became due until 31/12/2023, interest payments are allowed to be paid to suppliers. This week it was posted in public consultation and the technical report of our specialized Dutch advisers on the appointment of Thessaly after the heavy Mediterranean cyclone Daniel. This is the first holistic study to be prepared for the region of Thessaly for 70 years, by a multi-member team of experts with significant international experience in corresponding scale disasters and restorations. The Master Plan is obviously not a Gospel, it does not mean that it will be adopted in itself but constitutes a serious – scientific basis – for consultation, so that we can come up with the best solutions to the many and extremely urgent challenges facing the region. In other words, for flood protection, shielding and upgrading critical infrastructure, optimal management of hazardous water, sustainable agricultural and livestock production that can guarantee higher incomes and environmental protection. I am pleased that the regional governor and mayors of Thessaly have already found many points of consensus with the proposals of the study, which will be discussed extensively to give a detailed answer to all the issues he raises. The solutions will be agreed with the inhabitants, farmers and businesses of Thessaly, without surprise, as we are given a chance to correct many mistakes of the past. Thessaly must and will become better after this great test. I move on to the issue of incidents of violence with leading young people, such as recently in Thessaloniki, Aristotle Square and the University of Painter. Of course, the unacceptable and condemned image of intolerance that we have seen in no way characterizes Thessaloniki. It wrongs both its history and tradition and the present culture of the open and welcoming city that we all love. Arrests were made – the State moved immediately – and justice now has the floor. Those accused of involvement in the incidents will be tried under the stricter anti-racist law. But society, all of us, must isolate hatred towards our vulnerable fellow citizens and those who cultivate it, politicians and citizens. For our part, we are firmly opposed to any form of violence that threatens the sense of security of citizens and social cohesion itself. This also concerns university security. It is not just about conviction and the findings. I want to send the message that we are not supposed to allow ‘party’ in university places to develop into blind violence and disaster celebrations. For such incidents there must be consequences, and what the law provides for is even the final elimination of students. And it is the responsibility of the university’s disciplinary bodies to implement the law, which must finally be implemented. Yesterday we had a major police operation at the unsub. We await with interest the findings of this operation after the evacuation of the occupation. In any case, our universities belong to all students. They cannot be denied access to academic knowledge by individual minoritys making illegal occupations. No one can lock himself in there, vandalize public infrastructure, and perhaps even rape in the name of a protest. In the meantime, I should like to stress that the presence of the police in the neighbourhoods, particularly the large cities, in the most difficult neighbourhoods, which may have a more burdened history of incidents and crime, but also where there are incidents involving beatings of minors. More must certainly be done, especially with regard to bullying and violence in younger ages. On Wednesday, responsibility and responsibility were announced to each school unit for accepting the surnames of the students and their parents for incidents of physical and psychological intimidation. The four-member Action Groups for Preventing and Coping With Endoschool Violence and Bullying were also designated. Very soon the platform of surname complaints will be launched exclusively by students, their parents or those who have custody of children. In addition to the electronic platform, a national campaign of information and awareness about the phenomenon of violence in schools is launched, while the special scientific committee we have recently set up is working frantically on the preparation of a “National Plan for Preventing and Coping with Violence and Child Abuse”. I am closing with an issue concerning our common home, the environment. A sea country such as Greece could only take the lead in taking initiatives to rescue oceans and seas from the threats of climate change, pollution and anarchy, leading to degradation of the marine environment and loss of unique biodiversity. At the “Our Ocean Conference 2024″ that we organize in Athens on 16 and 17 April we will seek to have specific commitments from the dozens of governments that said they would participate. It’s a bet on today and also a debt to future generations. Greece comes to this Conference, already committed, among other things, to a 10% ban on fishing in our seas by 2030, to extend the marine protected areas to cover 30% of our seas by 2025 and to allocate funds of 2 billion euros, to rehabilitate our islands from energy sources using carbon dioxide. Somewhere here I complete today’s review, with the wish that you enjoy tomorrow’s Kuluma wherever you are. Moreover, throughout Greece the Municipalities have organized parades and carnival events with traditional dishes and songs. I wish you good Lent!”.