“I understand their difficulties, especially in Thessaly. Many times they have exceeded their capabilities to stand up, but this government, what it says, it does” emphasized the government representative, Pavlos Marinakisreferring to the farmers’ mobilizations.

Speaking on the subject today on the Open television station, Mr. Marinakis was categorical, saying that the meters which the Prime Minister announced for them farmers will be implemented, and he added that the government’s next promise is: “everything we say about the protection of their products and the emphasis we put on the CAP and European policy we will put into practice”. At the same time, he expressed his appreciation that with dialogue “we can go further” and sent a message to the farmers saying: “We fully respect their requests, but the tolerances are those and we will not have any other measure».

Mr. Marinakis referred to the prime minister’s speech in Parliament, which – as the government spokesman said – recalled a policy that is being implemented. “Not now that we have blockades, but from the first moment. And of course he announced some further interventions regarding electricity, a 10% reduction in the months with higher consumption and interventions that will lead to an average reduction of 30% in the next immediate years, not some years later. Interventions for the Excise Tax on oil, third year in a row return, 82 million euros the cost of this intervention. A very important intervention regarding the issue of compensations, which were extended up to 5 and 10,000 euros the first aid, so that the rural world has liquidity. And of course everything that was said by Mr. Skylakakis and legislated for the prohibition of power outages and settlements for seven years”.

Referring to bombing at dawn at the Ministry of Labourin the center of Athens, Mr. Marinakis expressed his concern by pointing out that “obviously it is something very serious, obviously it is something that belongs to what we say “serious crime”” and added:

“Obviously all hits, especially when there is an admission of responsibility, have their importance, their seriousness, I’m not debating that. Alas, if in the center of the capital of our country we were not worried. But it is good in these cases to have confidence in the police because of their many successes. This is her role, obviously, and mistakes and omissions will be evaluated. Let’s let the police do their job and comment on the findings. Always errors and omissions, where they exist and if they exist, are examined and investigated.”

Mr. Marinakis condemned the action of “Rubicon” outside the NTUA rector’s house, he said that there are no legal squatters, and referring to the education and private universities bill he called it “historic” pointing out that the government will not back down on its plans.

“An historic bill is about to be enacted. And for non-state universities, but also for public universities, which will receive about 1 billion euros, which will get freedoms and power that they have not had for many decades, following a significant increase in their funding by 50% in four difficult years of imported crises. The first, then, and most important thing is that this bill, however much some morbid minorities insist, will pass. It will pass because it is on the pre-election program, because it was a government promise. It will pass because it wants it – and it will show in practice – the parliamentary majority, it will pass because society wants it. Second fact, that the state must ensure the semester and the examination of the students. For this the Minister of Education gave a complete arsenal. Third, squats. First of all, there is no legal occupation, let’s agree. We cannot accept the Criminal Code, the laws of the state a la carte. Either we accept them as a whole, or if we don’t, those who don’t have a problem,” said Mr. Marinakis specifically.

Finally, the government representative also responded to the mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, regarding what he said about the squatters, noting: “To hear in 2024, 50 years after the post-colonization, the mayor of Athens to categorize the squatters, to start categorizing and robberies and sabotage, to start giving a political sign to an illegal act”.