The parties have statutes and instruments, he commented on the developments in SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, the Minister of State Makis Voridis, in an interview with the “Sky” television station. As for the mobilizations of the farmers, he observed that it is important to add the protest of the Greek farmers to the protest of the European farmers for changing points of the Common Agricultural Policy – which Kyriakos Mitsotakis also seeks. As for the reactions at universities in relation to the education bill, he pointed out: “The direction of the government is clear: we will insist that the law be implemented.”

The interview began, however, by assuming responsibility for him envelope-bomb, aimed at the president of Appeals of Thessaloniki, with the Minister of State reminding first of all that this is the third incident, after those at the MAT headquarters and the Ministry of Labour. “Some may be trying to create a new wave of terrorism. The answer to this is increased security measures, increased vigilance and, of course, the work of the police,” he pointed out, with the simultaneous comment that it is “risky for me to do an ideological analysis.”

In terms of education, he initially emphasized that “in the constitutional review we will reinstate Article 16 regardless of the legislative initiative we are taking now”. At the same time, “the legislative initiative does not have a constitutionality problem, because it concerns branches of already legally operating universities abroad. This is protected by the European Treaty, which is a text of supra-constitutional force. We have decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union on the implementation of the Treaty which says that the legally operating educational institution in another country has the right to establish branches”.

While regarding the reactions to the Ministry of Education bill, “everyone can have their opinion,” he said and added: “Squatting, obstructing the operation of a public space, a public building, there is no doubt that it is illegal. So that there is no problem in the operation of the universities, the Ministry of Education, in consultation with the rector’s authorities, said that the exams should be held remotely. In many universities this has been done, in some it has not and the question of the examination period arises. There will be an issue for the operation of the universities when the examination period is over.”

Besides, he emphasized that, “obviously there is a question of criminal responsibility when an illegal action is taken, such as conquest. Similarly, there is a question of disciplinary responsibilities because the regulations of the universities stipulate that students who obstruct the operation of the universities have as a disciplinary sanction – which must be initiated by the competent rector’s authorities, it is not a matter of the government – the definitive removal from the university . The sanction reaches this point.” While, “where deemed appropriate, there will be police intervention”, he added.

According to M. Voridis, it doesn’t exist anyway “no way” to freeze the bill, whatever the reactions, as he said. “This reform for us is emblematic,” he said, adding that “this discussion is meaningless. Maybe 40 years ago – I would have said the same about private universities then – someone would have discussed. Now, any Greek girls who can go and study abroad in private universities, their degree is recognized and they have full professional rights. What is the point of being able to go to Cyprus, but not being able to go to Athens?”, he asked.

As, however, in the middle of the interview, the news about reoccupation of the Faculty of Law of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki by students, he explained that “obviously the effort to enforce legitimacy will continue, obviously there will be issues. But the government’s direction is clear: we will insist that the law is implemented.” While at another point of the interview he clarified that “at the moment the government is not considering a total change in the question of admission to universities”.

For the developments in the official opposition party and after clarifying that he cannot take a position on the internal affairs of another party, he limited himself to “a personal reaction”, as he said. “Questions of party identity being decided by online questionnaires seems a bit off to me,” was his opening comment, and he added:

“If something like this were to happen in the New Republic, everyone would say that we have a statute and institutions, we have a congress. Parties have a certain composition. If you want to do it all from the beginning, then you leave the party framework”. But, even in this case, in matters of identity “you say what you want”. With the Kasselakis questionnaire, the president of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance “seems as if he has no opinion and is just the speaker of a world”.

As far as farmers’ mobilizations are concerned, the Minister of State estimated that “in some places we may have strategic convergence. It is important to the effort made by our prime minister to change the points of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), to the protest of the European farmers who went to Brussels, Paris, Berlin, to add the protest of Athens […] I remind you that the CAP is the product of a compromise with the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission. Where in the European Parliament the pressure was exerted by the forces of the Left so that there was tension in the environmental transition”.

In contrast, the European People’s Party, the Greek Prime Minister and Mr. Voridis, in his capacity, at the time, of the Minister of Rural Development “we were trying to say that this pace should be slower. Now that this debate is opening, or we want it to be opened, and the prime minister has decided to open it, it is important to see that this is a demand of the farming world.” In any case, he concluded, “the defense of agricultural production is par excellence a policy of the Right.”

The interview closed with the bill, on the subject of changes to the Criminal Code: “The general direction is tightening […] it is not possible with a sentence of 15 years, for someone to be out (of prison) in three years”. Another example, “I’ve caught him for thefts, misdemeanors that is, twenty times and he’s still out. It can not be done”.

Finally, when asked about the construction of new prisons, he replied: “We will also build the prisons that we need to build, so that these measures are effective.”