The establishment of February 1 as “Panhellenic Fan Day” announced the Deputy Minister Yannis Vroutsis of the Ministry of Education, Religion and Sports for the “Emergency measures to ban the sale of tickets and the presence of spectators at football matches for compelling reasons to protect public order and security (A’ 203) – Taking measures to prevent and deal with violence in the context of sports meetings and other arrangements under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Religion and Sports”, in the Plenary.

Mr. Brutsis stated that “today is a sad day for sports as two years from the 1st of February since the murder of Alkis Kampanos (1.2.2022) it was so fortunate that the Parliament is debating this bill to deal with fan violence” and proposed the establishment of February 1st as Panhellenic Fan Day, in the context of the amendment also tabled by SYRIZA.

The deputy minister underlined that unfortunately, “the blood cycle did not end with the murder of Alkis Kampanos, we had after the murders of Michalis Katsouris, Giorgos Lyggeridis, and we must all show, unitedly, that we are a fist against violence. This is expressed today by the Greek Parliament. And let’s hope that what you said then also applies, this “Never Again””.

SYRIZA’s parliamentary representative Theofilos Xanthopoulos stated that “this is a very important moment for the Greek Parliament, in my second term in the Parliament I do not remember that an amendment of the Opposition has been accepted by the Government before, and this shows at least on the level of intentions – regardless of deviations and differences – let’s all fight together as much as possible to face this monster of violence.” The SYRIZA parliamentary representative requested that, in addition to the establishment of February 1st as “Panhellenic Fan Day”, the second article of the amendment be accepted so that this Day is established by a Presidential Decree, in order “not to be limited to the solemn acceptance of the amendment and soon to have the accompanying legislation so that this Day enters the calendar of schools, sports clubs and society to create as much as possible a counter-consciousness against fan violence”.

The parliamentary representative of PASOK-KINAL Dimitris Manzos he recognized that the initiative of the deputy minister is very important and it is a positive parliamentary practice to adopt proposals that come from society and through the parties to come to Parliament and be accepted. “We believe that this movement should have – as it does – a special symbolic value as it is the day that gives meaning to a struggle against a social pathology such as violence” he said and added that “the Government, Parliament, public life owe this Day to use it as a springboard and not as an occasion for a dialogue that should be held in the next period with courage about this monster that is violence”