[fse-esf] Massive student+professor mobilizations in Greek Universities: 190 departments occupied!

[Νεολαία Συνασπισμού]

Dear comrades and friends,

The moments we are experiencing in almost ALL
university departments in Greece are unique!
It is very characteristic that the last students'
General Assemblies that had a similar turnout with
what is happening these days, takes us back to 1999!!!

Last Thursday, 80 university departments were occupied
and 8000 students and professors participated in a
national student demo in Athens.
Today, according to the latest news from all around
the country, approximately 190 departments are under
occupation!!! 

The assembly of the national Co-ordination of
Occupations which was organized last Thursday after
the national demo in Athens, formed a common
declaration, which has been proposed (and voted
positively!!!) in the General Assemblies of almost all
schools and departments. It also decided to call for
simoultaneous demos in all Greek cities that have a
university schoold or department tomorrow (at 12.00). 

The major forces that form the block of occupations
are the Network of Autonomous Radical Left Student
Groups (DARAS) and the Unified Independent Left
Movement (EAAK-extreme left), together with a number
of other, smaller Left groups that participate in the
Greek and/or the European Social Forum. 
In many Assemblies the youth members of the
"Socialist" Party (PASOK, former government) also vote
positively on the question of occupation.

But the most important thing is that thousands of
students, after a very long time of immobility and
indifference, participate in the Assemblies in their
schools and support this movement against one of the
most ultra-neoliberal reforms in higher education: the
reformation of the Legal Framework for the Initiation
and Function of Greek Universities.

Through an extensive reform of the Legal and
Constitutional Framework, the Greek right-wing
Government wishes to:
- Reduce the percentage of student participation in
the Administration of Universities. 
- Put a time barrier for the completion of our studies
(X+2 years). Students that will exceed tis barrier,
will be expelled.  
- Open the way for the introduction of private
universities (which are now forbidden according to the
Greek Constitution).
- Introduce a marketized "evaluation" of all schools
according to the criteria of the Bologna and Lisbon
Process.
- Make the Academic Asylum more "flexible" in order to
make its violation by the Police easier.    

At the same time with the students, the Greek
Federation of Unions of Teaching and Research Staff
(POSDEP) is on the verge of a very important fight for
the protection of public and free higher education and
goes on with a permanent strike!    

The next week (next round of General Assemblies around
the country) is very critical for the continuation of
mobilizations and the future of our movement. We are
determined to hold strong, until the Minister of
Education announces the withdrawal of the reform, at
least for the summer (their aim until now is to vote
the reform in the summer session of the Parliament, so
that all schools are closed and we are not able to
react). 

The "defeated" are back...
It's time we remember how is it to win!  

Yiannis Bournous, postgraduate student 
Neolaia Synaspismou-The Youth of Synaspismos
Greek Social Forum


	

	
		
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