The deputy’s two-hour working meeting was extremely constructive Minister of Sports, Yannis Vroutsisand of Ministers of Citizen Protection, Yiannis Oikonomou, and Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiouwith the representatives of the 14 PAE of the Super League and the management of the League, following yesterday’s announcements of the legislative initiative to combat violence.

The meeting, which took place at OAKA – and was also attended by the general secretaries, Giorgos Mavrotas (Sports), Manos Logothetis (Citizen Protection), Demosthenes Anagnostopoulos (Information Systems and Digital Governance), the Chief of the EL.AS, Lieutenant General Lazaros Mavropoulos and the Chief Police Directors, within whose boundaries the Super League matches are held – the Ministers analyzed the provisions specifically related to the technical issues of the Electronic Supervision of the sports facilities and the identification of the Electronic Ticket, followed by the positions of the representatives of the PAE and the Deputy President of the Super League, Katia Koxenoglou.

“We want you as allies in this effort and the main reason for today’s meeting is aimed at one reason only: to show that in the face of hooliganism, the abhorrent phenomena of violence, we are on the same side!” emphasized the Minister of Sports, Yiannis Vroutsis, and continued: “It is the desire of the Government and personally of the Prime Minister to join our efforts and through this combination to get the best possible result for our football. The common goal is to raise our football high, for families to return to the stadiums, for the stadium to once again become the entertainment for all of us”.

After the end of the meeting, Mr. Vroutsis stated that “we come out richer, stronger in experience and knowledge and above all more optimistic. In the major problem of fan violence, we found help from all PAEs. We are united, one fist all of us. Both the football clubs, who are determined to support the Government’s initiatives, and the Police and there is an agreement on the cameras and the innovative ID system. Things were said on behalf of the PAE that I did not expect, e.g. how they feel captured by hooligans. And the representatives of major PAE said it, as well as that violence is a snake created from the past and they want to end it forever, asking for the assistance of the State”.

In his statement, the Minister of Citizen Protection, Yiannis Oikonomou, among other things, stated: “The specific interventions, which we are here to discuss today, constitute a very important step in reducing the main causes of criminal behavior in stadiums.

Better surveillance, with what this implies for focal points, with an increase in the points to be monitored and better specifications for the cameras, but also the ability to identify the holder’s ticket, are two very important steps that in the view of Government can, under conditions, completely change the image and of course, redefine the role of the Police in regards to these sporting events.

I think that technology and the decisions of the Government give us the possibility and the opportunity to hope that something better can happen. The cooperation of all of us is required and I think today’s discussion is a good step in that direction.”

The Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, analyzed the modern way of identification through the ticket holder’s mobile phone. The purpose of which, as he underlined, is to replace the inefficient, as it has been proven, until now, control by natural persons, in order to minimize the phenomenon of someone being able to give their ticket to someone else to enter the stadium. A fundamental and basic issue for everyone, State and PAE, is to control the people entering the stadium.

He pointed out, in fact, that “an extremely constructive discussion took place today, with the Deputy Minister of Sports, with the Minister of Citizen Protection, with the PAE and with the Super League and I think we heard really very interesting opinions about the technical solutions that we are planning to implement. Technology has and can provide the solutions. What I got from discussing is that the PAEs also really want us to work together. One phrase I keep is that you can’t do it alone, so let’s join forces to achieve something very important and that sports needs”.

The PAE representatives, for their part, positioned themselves positively on the principle of the measures by making useful observations, which they will also send in detail so that the relevant processing can be done with the aim of optimal implementation. After all, as they agreed, football needs everyone to move forward together and work together harmoniously to fight violence.