12 February 2021
EurActiv, 12 February 2021.
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"With the support of the right-wing populist Greek Solution party, the ruling conservative New Democracy party (EPP) passed a law on Thursday (11 February) establishing a special police force for the surveillance of universities.
All other opposition parties rejected the bill, describing it as authoritarian subduing to the detriment of public universities paving the way for “even greater repression at the expense of young people”.
Students and educational institutions took to the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki demanding the withdrawal of the bill.
Public universities have been an “open wound” for the Greek society for years. Successive governments have refused to invest to upgrade them while several violent incidents have occurred.
In Greece’s universities, youth political parties play a major role which has not always been productive.
The government accuses the leftist opposition of tolerating or even encouraging violence from leftist youth movements within universities.
On the other hand, the biggest youth conservative party (DAP) in universities is affiliated with New Democracy.
Speaking at the Greek House, leftist Yanis Varoufakis (DIEM-25) lashed out against the conservative youth."
Source: Greece passes controversial university surveillance law (EurActiv, 12 February 2021)
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