According to 902.gr, the protesting students denounce the changes to tenure and postponements, chanting anti-war slogans such as “We have never had a culture of war, send ‘butchers’ and ‘frappes’ to the war.”
Other slogans include: “Soldiers are the people’s children, they have no job outside the borders”, “Give money for education and not for NATO slaughterhouses”, “No axe to postponements, students are asking for uninterrupted studies”, and “Dendias, Mitsotakis, listen carefully, your bill will remain on paper.”
In their resolution, the associations argue that the bill introduces a series of problematic and militaristic provisions, with significant consequences for students. They note that the new age limits on deferrals will create “very big problems”, particularly for medical graduates, given that the article allowing deferral until the age of 33 for the completion of medical specialisation is abolished.
They further state that doctoral students will receive deferral only until the age of 30, compared with the previous limit of 33 under certain conditions, which they argue will force many to extend the duration of their doctoral studies.
The resolution adds that the bill will also affect Greek citizens living abroad. Thousands of workers, young scientists and researchers were already compelled to leave Greece, the students say, and now face additional penalties due to the revised criteria for who is considered a “permanent resident abroad”.
The associations highlight another major change: studies must now be interrupted during military service. The bill abolishes the possibility of student leave for examinations and the student housing allowance. As they explain, a student who begins service mid-degree will, under the new rules, be forced to delay completion of their studies.
The student associations demand the withdrawal of the contested provisions and of the entire multi-bill.
The resolution is co-signed by a wide range of student associations from major universities across Athens and the National Technical University of Athens, as well as student centres representing technical, humanities and science faculties. Together, they call for the withdrawal of the contested provisions and of the entire multi-bill.
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