Sofia Zacharaki announced that regarding the establishment of new foreign universities in our country, “by February 28, as provided by the relevant ministerial decisions, new applications for foreign universities will be submitted. There is already interest and I estimate with the picture I have today that there will be more than five new applications,” she emphasized and underlined that “foreign universities are observing how the new law is being implemented and are examining infrastructure and substantive issues, expressing optimism about the momentum being developed.”
Sofia Zacharaki: Path opens for return of Greek professors who worked abroad
Speaking on SKAI, Mrs. Zacharaki emphasized that this development creates prospects both for young people, who will be able to study in their country at institutions with strict standards, and for the return of Greek professors who worked abroad during the crisis period. “It is very important that we managed in our country, finally, to give our children this prospect as well. At the same time, however, it also opens the prospect of return for professors who had to leave during the crisis period to work abroad. To open a position and return. And for children to stay here and study at institutions that operate with strict standards and prerequisites.”
Responding to a question about the Panhellenic Examinations and the university admission system, the Education Minister emphasized that a broad public dialogue will open in which all issues will be raised and will cover the entirety of education from Kindergarten to High School with the ultimate goal of stopping High School from being exclusively an “examination anteroom.” The Minister underlined the need to upgrade the educational process, the value of learning and activities at school, and expressed the intention to count students’ overall progress in all three grades of High School, so that access to Higher Education is not judged exclusively by one single examination. Sofia Zacharaki noted that “the Panhellenic Examinations are not being abolished. Students currently attending the final grades will be admitted to Universities under the current system.”
What she said about farmers’ protests
Referring to the farmers’ decision to continue and escalate their mobilizations, Sofia Zacharaki noted that the Government has already satisfied 20 out of 27 demands that were deemed fiscally feasible, after consultation with the European Commission. “The disposition to nullify the Government’s response does not find all farmers in agreement in principle, while their inflexible stance brings them face to face with society which now says no to road closures. There is a limit somewhere,” she stated characteristically and continued emphasizing that “the Government has exhausted negotiation with the European Commission, minimum limits have been given both in Special Consumption Tax and VAT, and the largest amount this year, 3.82 billion euros, has been given in subsidies. There is no margin at least in money. However, there are large margins to see what else structural can be done. To increase production, innovation and extroversion.”
“Maria Karystianou’s positions will be evaluated like all of us in politics”
Asked to comment on Ms. Maria Karystianou’s intention to establish a political party, Mrs. Zacharaki stated that she expects to hear specific proposals, noting that so far she discerns a “person-centered scheme with aphoristic rhetoric.” She emphasized that citizens, when the time for judgment comes, will evaluate all choices based on stability, consistency of words and actions, and the overall political proposal. “We will all be evaluated. Ms. Maria Karystianou, her positions and proposals will be evaluated just as we all are evaluated in politics.”
Sofia Zacharaki on Yanis Varoufakis: I know the message being sent to society
Referring to the prosecutorial intervention regarding Yanis Varoufakis’s statements about substance use, Sofia Zacharaki emphasized that “I cannot evaluate the legal aspect but I know the message being sent to society” and stressed that in a period where many families and young people are battling addictions, such statements send wrong messages. She emphasized the responsibility of all those who have public discourse and reiterated that there are support paths and specialists who can help those facing addiction problems, characterizing the issue as extremely sensitive and critical.
