Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued an ultimatum to the rectors, who received them at the Maximou Mansion. A key issue on the agenda of the talks is security at universities, with Mitsotakis announcing sanctions that will go as far as disqualifying them from their roles if they fail to meet their obligations.

“There will be sanctions, they can go as far as the disqualification of their roles for those rectors and administrations who do not meet their obligations,” the prime minister asserted, adding that it is a non-negotiable requirement that everyone feels safe at their schools. “Knowledge implies freedom, and this in turn implies legitimacy,” he noted.

“I think we all agree that we cannot tolerate an environment in which any student or professor feels hostage to bullying and violence,” he said, adding that academic spirit and academic freedom mean that there is a spirit of dialogue.

Over 48 squats cleared and over 500 people arrested

Mitsotakis said that since 2019, when he took office, the government had restored academic asylum, “putting an end to a peculiar regime whose meaning had been misinterpreted”.

“Since then, 48 occupations of premises have been evacuated and returned to the academic community, over 500 arrests of people who had turned institutions into hooded shelters or sanctuaries for common criminal law offences,” he said. The goal of the government’s vigorous effort is to quickly reverse a situation that was built and shaped by decades of mindsets. “The perception that nothing has changed is not valid and does not do justice to the efforts,” he said.

Instead, Mitsotakis said, legitimacy is being established as students and professors, administrators, are gradually taking day-to-day life into their own hands, and society is demanding the obvious: that the law be enforced, a demand “that for the government is a non-negotiable mandate.”

Ten points – legislative interventions

The Prime Minister said that through the competent Minister of Education Sofia Zacharaki, ten points, legislative interventions “that complement the already bold legislative framework we are implementing” will be announced.

“Experience and the continuous evaluation of the performance of both the government and the judicial and police authorities and university administrations require us to make a continuous evaluation of the measures implemented. And to supplement them where we identify gaps. We therefore want to close any holes that do not link rights to obligations, but also to sanctions. Every one of us individually must do our job properly and responsibly, and when this is not the case, we must be subject to the appropriate sanctions after we have been held accountable,” he said.

Mitsotakis attached special importance to the meeting, as he said that normality in university life is a condition for its development.

What the Prime Minister asked

The Prime Minister called upon the rectors to present to him their clear plan for preparing or updating the security plans of the institutions within the next two months.

He also called for the drafting of by-laws within 2025, the establishment of a disciplinary board by sector to provide for automatic sanctions to anyone who breaks the rules.

Sanctions will also be imposed on students charged with criminal offences, who will lose their student status for up to 24 months.

Supreme Court prosecutor will have nationwide oversight

In order to speed up the adjudication of cases of violence at universities, a Supreme Court Deputy Prosecutor will be appointed to have nationwide oversight. While, as is already the case in schools, the restoration of damages will be primarily the responsibility of the perpetrators and not the Greek taxpayer.

The government is seeking to strengthen protection and control access to schools, while the police will assist where necessary. Also, every incident will be recorded in the National Violence Watch of the Ministry.

“No planning can be effective unless there is a culture of prevention, a culture of zero tolerance. Minorities can no longer be the goons of the universities. And where there is illegality, there cannot be immunity. It is a one-way street… Everyone must play their part. We cannot hide ow is the opportunity-definitely and irrevocably,” he concluded.