The Vice President of the European Commission, responsible for the Promotion of the European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Department of Political Science of the Democritus University of Thrace (DPTH), during the ceremony held in the central auditorium of the University Campus in Komotini.

“I feel a great emotion to receive this honorary distinction from the Department of Political Science of the Democritus University of Thrace. I have not been a student in a Department of Political Science – but that does not mean that I did not come into contact with the questions he poses and I was not troubled by the arguments he evaluates”, said Mr. Schoinas at the beginning of his speech and continued: “I declare, therefore , a lifelong student of Political Science and a great admirer of it and those who serve it. In 1985, almost 40 years ago, I received my degree at the Law Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. I went on to study Public Administration at the College of Europe and the London School of Economics. Through the lessons of iconic professors – such as the great teacher of European law, Evrygenis – I found that it is not enough for me to just learn the current rules of law or the existing levels of government. What interested me and continues to interest me is being able to evaluate them. Not only based on their effectiveness. But also in terms of political and moral legitimacy – as to whether they are consistent with what a state should do, what kind of power relations it should form and what limits it should respect. As only if you evaluate what is valid, you can understand what is needed to improve it.

After all, I am not an advocate of grandiose reforms and political theatrics – I am an advocate of the methodical work of identifying needs and addressing them in a targeted manner.”

Democritus University is emblematic and at the cutting edge of educational and research developments

Regarding the Democritus University, he emphasized that it is emblematic and remains at the cutting edge of educational and research developments and noted: “It is also a University of high political, social and economic importance, as the first regional multifaceted University in Greece. Today, the University extends throughout Thrace, as it has created cores of academic and research innovation in Xanthi, Komotini, Alexandroupoli and Orestiada. And the new bill of the Ministry of Education gives an even stronger vote of confidence to Democritus University, so that it can obtain the position it deserves on the Greek, European and global educational map, but also act as a lever for regional development and upgrading the standard of living of Thrace”.

Support for public Universities and “yes” to the establishment of non-state ones

The vice-president of the European Commission stated that he owes everything he has achieved in his life to the public school and the public university, but at the same time as supporting the public university, he was also in favor of the establishment of non-state universities.

“Whatever I have achieved in my life, I owe it primarily to the Greek public school and the public University. And to their enlightened teachers,” he said and added:

“What if I have forgotten the dates, the guys and the names that I so stubbornly memorized. The thirst for learning and the will to excel have been indelibly etched in me with indelible white chalk. In the public school and the public University I experienced what meritocracy means – the result was always proportional to the effort. No back doors for a faster finish, no detours. And later, when I wanted to gain the academic experience abroad – I was not given that. Based on my performance, a scholarship from the Ministry of Finance was my ticket to study outside of Greece. And thus, with consistency and commitment, I found myself from Fourka in Halkidiki to the College of Commissioners of the Commission.

I love and care about the Greek public university. I consider it the most effective social mobility belt. Of course I’m not shying away from the challenges it faces. Our Universities are gradually acquiring more funding, more resources, in order to close yesterday’s outstanding issues, but also to acquire all the supplies to be more competitive in the face of tomorrow’s conditions.

The support of the Greek public University, however, does not exclude the agreement with the possibility of establishing non-state Universities in our country. Treating the two as mutually exclusive leads to a misleading zero-sum game. But we must not get caught up in a false dilemma. I support the establishment of non-state universities primarily because I am a liberal. Neither because the majority of favored countries do it nor thanks to the development boost they will provide to the country. But because it is not possible for our country to have no other voice than the state one in higher education. In fact, this debate is not about the Right-Left axis, but the liberal forces of choice and extroversion, on the one hand, and state monopoly, on the other. The public university will not lose anything in this new page that our country will turn. It will simply give the opportunity for another educational course. It will not be imposed on anyone. No one will be lost because of her.”

The borders of Greece are also borders of Europe – its shield

He referred to the challenges facing Thrace in terms of immigration, due to the border with Turkey, and the climate crisis after the summer’s devastating fires.

Regarding immigration, he emphasized that Thrace has shouldered a disproportionately large burden compared to the rest of Greece and remarked: “Whenever I visit the unspoiled villages of Thrace and meet their inhabitants, I feel like I know heroes, given the successive migration flows that have received by the region in the past years – especially when they take on the character of a hybrid threat, instrumentalizing human suffering.

Greece’s borders are also Europe’s borders – its shield, as the president of the Commission characteristically said during her visit to Evros. The management of immigration cannot but be a European affair, activating the responsibilities of all member states. Thrace has one of the most emblematic land operations of FRONTEX, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Europe.”

Thrace is a model of harmonious intercultural and interreligious coexistence

At the same time, Mr. Schinas pointed out that Komotini and Thrace in general “is a European model of harmonious intercultural and interreligious coexistence, without extremism and extremes. Where the church bells harmoniously follow the imam’s call.”

The European way of life is democracy’s soul

He said of the European way of life that it is a compass and concluded his speech with a reference to Democritus, saying: “Democritus speaks of the soul in a special way, touching in its simplicity. The soul, he says, is not some supernatural, mysterious entity. He describes it as a kind of fire and heat. Like a fiery panspermia of shavings that move and give life to the body. The European way of life is the democratic soul, the breath of our continent. It is the base, the content and the top of the European pyramid: it grounds, gives meaning and inspires. I am proud to serve him and I feel indescribably touched that you are honoring me for this today.”

The announcement of Mr. Schinas to an honorary doctorate is the second by the Department of Political Science, as the first was by the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, last November.

In his speech, the rector of Democritus University, Fotios Maris, spoke about the reasons that led to this decision and said: “Margaritis Schinas with his actions and values ​​is a source of inspiration for all of us, but primarily for our students.

With this announcement, we wish to highlight and honor the valuable contribution of an idealistic functionary of the European Union to the ambitious project of European integration and the consolidation of European identity.

Our University is located in a rural region of the country characterized by its multicultural identity.

What could constitute the European way of life if not harmonious intercultural coexistence, the provision of equal opportunities and development with social cohesion.

Such initiatives as today’s bring Thrace to the center of Europe, they give the message to all the length and breadth of Europe, but also the world, that in this corner of the planet, in this country, the conditions of harmonious of symbiosis, here the cross-cultural character of the region produces and creates and we are proud of it”.

Addresses were also given by the dean of the School of Social Policy and Economic Studies, Sevasti Hatzifotiou, the president of the Department of Political Science, Konstantinos Dikaios, while the assistant professor Leonidas Makris spoke about the work of Mr. Schinas.

The ceremony was attended by the parliamentarians Euripides Stylianidis, Ahmet Ilhan, the deputy regional governor of North Macedonia-Thrace Nikos Eukarpidis, elected officials of the self-government, representatives of the religious, military authorities and the Security Forces, the consuls of France, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania , of Serbia, the vice consul of Georgia, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the educational staff of the FTTH and students.

Earlier, the vice-president of the Commission symbolically planted an olive tree in the courtyard of the University’s Administration building, as part of the “Roots of Europe” initiative.

In the greeting addressed by Mr. Schinas, he pointed out: “This is the third time I have come to the region and this is not a coincidence. It is my wish. If you ask me to show on the map of Europe an area where major European stakes intersect, energy, infrastructure, geopolitical, educational, cultural, a model of society with a high value sign, completely compatible with the European way of life – without any doubt I would point to Thrace. And especially Komotini”.

In the morning, Mr. Schinas visited the 3rd Experimental High School of Komotini where, on the occasion of the European elections of June 9, he had a dialogue with the students and answered their questions.

At the same time, a video was shown with the opinions of students on how they see the European elections.