Marinakis talks to ERT about non-state universities, farmers and PM's visit to Piraeus
In an interview with public broadcaster ERT on Wednesday, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis placed particular emphasis on a visit by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the recently refurbished Tzaneio Hospital in Piraeus, saying that it was a substantial project of vital importance for the hospital and not just window-dressing.
"It is a very important project that citizens can feel in their daily lives," he said, adding that projects of this kind served to restore the credibility of the political system. He said the wager in the government's first four-year term had been to keep the national health system "on its feet" and that this had largely succeeded.
He also commented on the education ministry's draft bill on public and non-state universities founded in Greece, saying that 70 pct was devoted to reinforcing the public universities with additional funding of approximately one billion euros.
He also said the government had presented a full-proof legal arsenal for online examinations to ensure that the examination period was not lost due to protests. On the use of police to break up sit-ins in protest against the planned changes, Marinakis said that the "law was enforced and the authorities intervene whenever they are called."
"The complete abolition of the asylum of lawlessness and its restoration to its true meaning, which is the free movement of ideas and not criminals, was done in 2019 by the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the government of New Democracy and is implemented," he said.
He pointed out that the criteria for founding non-state, non-profit universities in Greece will be the strictest of any country in Europe and that the government aims for the relevant bill to be voted on by the end of the month. He said the revision of article 16 of the constitution will be among the government's proposals.
Marinakis also commented on the demands of protesting farmers, saying the government had given "very convincing replies" to those relating to fiscal costs. He said that the greatest problem was that faced by the flood-stricken farmers in Thessaly, where the government was trying to work as quickly as possible.
Regarding same sex marriages, he said the government expected this to pass with more votes than those of the ruling party, while noting that party discipline did not apply in issues relating to human rights.
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