By Yannis Anifantis

After a total of 47 hours of meetings, in a three-day period with sharp confrontations, tensions and objections, the bill for the operation of branches of non-state universities is a law of the state with a total of 159 deputies voting positively. Apart from the governing majority, which remained solid, the relevant provisions were also voted for by the independent Haris Katsivardas, with the opposition voting against the principle.

In his concluding statement, the Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, spoke of a bill with historical characteristics, arguing that “after decades of discussion, this great historical change becomes the law of the state”. He even called on the parties to support the bill, especially the provisions concerning the public university.

The opposition’s position on the articles varied, with SYRIZA, PASOK, Hellenic Solution, New Left, and Pleussi Eleftherias voting against the principle but voting in favor of articles that they consider to upgrade the public university. The K.O. of the Spartans (10 MPs) moved in the same logic and voted present on principle, while the independent Michalis Hourdakis also voted present. Nina Kasimati (SYRIZA) – she voted by letter – abstained on principle, perhaps by mistake, but she voted on almost all the articles of the draft law.

However, the voting process lasted almost three hours, with Zoe Konstantopoulou reading all 205 articles of the bill, in order to decide how to vote on each one, delaying about two hours.

“Bra de fer” between leaders

The marathon meetings, however, had it all, with political leaders crossing swords over an issue that has, in recent decades, caused fierce conflicts.

The prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, spoke from the floor of the parliament about a radical cut in higher education, arguing that it is “a brave reform of development and social justice that primarily strengthens the public university”. “We are the last to have a harsh state monopoly in higher education”, emphasized the Prime Minister, estimating that “all these changes have the overwhelming support of Greek society”.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis aimed his arrows at both Stefanos Kasselakis and Nikos Androulakis, with the prime minister accusing the official opposition leader of being forced to resign with the permanent position of SYRIZA, even though he himself has graduated with a scholarship from the university of pennsylvania. “If the University of Pennsylvania came to Greece, it would say no, that this should not happen. In what he himself studied. But how much hypocrisy? Mr. Tsipras, who studied in Metsovio, should say it well, but Mr. Kasselakis should also say it,” he commented decisively.

The president of SYRIZA’s K.O – PS Sokratis Famellos accused the government of an unacceptable bill, stressing that “it is directed against the academic community, against the youth of our country, against the Constitution”. The bill, he said, could have a title: “Privatization of education or Supremeization of colleges.”

The “movements” of PASOK

Nikos Androulakis was also targeted by the prime minister, accusing Harilaou Trikoupis of Ovidian changes in the party’s attitude towards the bill. Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed out that Nikos Androulakis changed his position a total of four times, in the last two months, with him stressing: “Mr. Androulakis, you changed your mind despite the fact that we tried to include in the bill all the concerns you had expressed before the start of this discussion”. “Greece cannot remain captive to doctrines and anachronistic concepts”, noted Mr. Mitsotakis.

“We have the same position after 2006. Establishment of real non-state non-profit universities, respecting the Constitution and consensual revision of a. 16, from the time when G. Papandreou was president of the party”, replied Nikos Androulakis to the prime minister, underlining that this is a “counterfeit and imitation reform”.

In the shadow of sugar daddies

Two of the three twenty-four hours of the debate, however, were monopolized by Dimitris Koutsoumba’s report on sugar daddies and sponsors of female students. In an attempt to respond to the reactions he caused with his statement, the General Secretary emphasized that the KKE never turned a blind eye to exploitation, on the contrary, it always denounced and exposed it: “What disturbs is not the reality but the denunciation and the revelation of rot. You are not bothered that these things happen but you are bothered when they come to the surface. So why don’t you report that circles are trying to take advantage of students in this way to pay the high tuition fees at their schools”.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis did not leave the statement of the General Secretary of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoubas, unaddressed either: “I assumed, Mr. General Secretary, that earlier you asked for the extraordinary reason to apologize for your unacceptable sexist position which proves that the KKE remains the most anachronistic power in the room,” said the prime minister, who was quick to point out that he should not be accused of anti-communism whenever “we highlight your prejudices”.