By Penelope Galliou

“Dress rehearsal” for the pre-election period that will follow ahead of the European elections, is expected to be held in the next three days in Plenary session of the Parliamenton the occasion of the debate that starts tomorrow on the bill for the establishment of non-state, non-profit Universities.

The Maximos Palace approaches the controversial parliamentary debate as the last major parliamentary battle, which will be fought for a crucial reform in Higher Education, which was his pre-election commitment and now “takes flesh and bones” with the passing of the bill. But at the same time, it seems to “baptizes” Haroilau Trikoupi as his main opponent – after the collapse presented by SYRIZA, at least in terms of opinion polls – and will attempt to highlight the “political hypocrisy and bilingualism” – as commented by government officials – of the opposition and especially of PASOK. According to government sources, PASOK for petty political expedients, he renounces his declared position, which for years was in favor of non-state, non-profit Universities, and attempts to “fish” votes from his left and critics of the reform, voting against the bill, as another “green SYRIZA ». An attitude that automatically places Harilaou Trikoupis as the “main” political opponent of the government in the upcoming European elections.

The ND is expected throughout the three-day debate to highlight the realistic approach with which it deals with an educational reality in the country, stressing that with its bill it comes to demarcate the fact that there is private – and for-profit – higher education in Greece and to put strict rules and conditions for their operation, while it will focus on the simultaneous strengthening of the public University, with 70% of the bill concerning this upgrade. In this context, the competent Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakishas spoken of a “historic change” and referring to the overall strategy of the bill, spoke of “internationalization of the University”, stressing that the operating framework established for non-state, non-Cedroscopic Universities is one of the strictest in the whole of Europe.

For PASOK the problem is two-fold, as in addition to changing its stance, in relation to the prevailing position for many years in favor of non-state non-profit Universities, it also has to deal with bilingualism within itself with its MPs who oppose the party line but and the differentiation of the central line from the opinions of reputable constitutionalists, such as Mr. Nikos Alivizatos, and Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, who do not share the objections of unconstitutionality and argue for the opposite. Under these circumstances, interest is focused on whether Nikos Androulakis will ultimately choose to go directly against the scientific recommendations of the above constitutional experts, or whether he will choose to co-sign the objection of unconstitutionality to the bill, which is expected to be submitted by other opposition parties.

The issue of unconstitutionality that was raised was also mentioned by the Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, in the Educational Affairs Committee of the Parliament that elaborated the bill and listened to the views of the competent bodies on the bill, posing the following rhetorical question: “Is it Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, Mr. Nikos Alivizatos or Mr. Antonis Manitakis supporters of this government? Is; Because I think the question is strictly rhetorical. Mr. Manitakis, on the other hand, was the proposal of Mr. Fotis Kouvelis, of the Democratic Left, in the Samaras-Venizelos government, for the position of Minister of Administrative Reform. And to say it even more explicitly. We subscribe to this modern constitutional interpretation. And let me say something very politely and with a lot of respect towards everyone and because university professors also spoke and many people also spoke in their capacities. Generalized versatility is the wrong message.”

In any case, the bill and its constitutionality or not, will be judged by the competent courts according to Mr. Pierrakakis. “The specific case will be judged and it will be judged within the framework of the provision of powers. Unless we don’t believe in separation of powers. Unless we don’t observe how the jurisprudence of the courts has evolved, because what I have to say that I understood from the discussion is that there is a static text and there is how we interpret it depending on the political stakes. As if there were no national and European courts, which with their jurisprudence have developed a series of things” observed the Minister.