“To you who listen to us” we clearly state that we vigorously continue the fair fight which we have started since December 17″ state the artists in their letter, today, to the Deputy Minister of Modern Culture Nikolaos Giatromanolaki. The letter was communicated to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The letter is signed by 18 agencies and unions of the entire sector requesting the annulment of Presidential Decree 85/2022, a request for which they have appealed to the Council of State “for being unconstitutional and contrary to European Union law”

The full text of their letter follows

Late in the evening of Friday, February 17, the draft KYA was announced by the Ministry of Culture. Unfortunately, with this draft, which does not respond to our requests, the Government shows once again that it does not want to provide a solution to the existing problems. We clarify that the Prime Minister, in our meeting last Wednesday 15/2, committed himself to legislative regulation and not KYA. The KYA is legally weaker and subordinate than a Law or Presidential Decree.

According to the announcement of the Ministry of Defense, the P.D. 85/22 is not modified and thus we remain in the category of Secondary Education (D.E.). What has been announced is the salary and only approach to that of the T.E. category. However, this creates the paradox that artists, educational staff and related professions are hired as T.E. We believe that in this way more problems will be created than what this initiative of the Ministry of the Interior tries to solve.

This MLA does not classify us in a new Professional Category (nor could it, since it is not a legislative regulation), as we remain in the D.E category. (through Presidential Decree 85/2022) as the selection qualifications have been described there. In addition, with the KYA there is an attempt to baptize the work as an “artistic work”, for anyone hired for this work. We do not understand the reason to list the “artistic work (K.E)” in such a way when it is not a statutory professional category. All that is being done with this report is the deliberate confusion of public opinion.

Therefore, we do not have recognition of our studies and our degree. This KYA does not satisfy the demand of our struggle even in the slightest which is finally the recognition of our artistic studies, through our classification, in the T.E. category.

Based on the above, we continue the fight for the fair professional classification of our degrees and decent education and work. We are not in any way asking for a revision of Article 16 of the Constitution. We request, within the provisions of article 16, recognition through classification and inclusion of all art school graduates and workers in Art and Culture, in the T.E category. (except those already belonging to the P.E. category), something that is done and has already been done in many other cases.

Of course, our demands for the establishment of public tertiary higher artistic education and unified public artistic education, at all levels as well as for strengthening the student body with benefits of free food, housing and books remain active along with the whole field of our claims.

Our mobilizations for two months, the collective resignation of the teaching staff of three drama schools, the occupations and the strikes are about something much bigger than 179 euros, they are about our dignity, the securing of our studies and our status as professionals. The announcement only for the establishment of a School of Performing Arts in 2025 does not answer the current demands and can only be perceived as another pre-election announcement.

On Friday, February 17, we closed exactly two months since the issuance of the Presidential Decree and completed our legal action for unconstitutionality and opposition to the law of the European Union by filing an application for annulment of the Presidential Decree. 85/2022 (Government Gazette 232/t. a΄/17-12-2022) to the Council of the Territory.

The cancellation request is submitted and accepted by:

Panhellenic Federation of Listening Shows

Union of Greek Actors

Union of Singers of Greece

Society of Greek Directors

Association of Dramatic Art Educators

Union of Greek Cinema and Television Technicians – Audiovisual Sector

Association of Professional Performers Under the Stage

Association of Independent Filmmakers and Audiovisual Workers of Northern Greece

Union of Musician Employees of the Municipality of Athens

Association of Musicians of Northern Greece

KTHBE Employees’ Association of All Kinds of Staff,

Association of Dance School Owners of Greece

Panhellenic Association of Alumni of Conservatories and Music Schools

Union of National Theater Workers

Union of Lyrical Protagonists of Greece

Union of Workers in the Theater, Entertainment and Culture

Dance Teachers Union

Union of Employees in the Dance Hall

“To you who listen to us”, we clearly state that we are vigorously continuing the righteous struggle that we have started since December 17. We have emphasized from the first moment that the tombstone placed by the Government in front of our claims, will be lifted together by the industry and the student body together with the support of the society that understands our requests and stands by us.