Workers Revolutionary Party - THOUSANDS MARCH IN ATHENS

The News Line: News Friday, 2 February 2007 THOUSANDS MARCH IN ATHENS

Teachers marching in Athens on January 10th

Thousands of university students and lecturers staged mass and militant rallies and demonstrations last Wednesday in all major cities against the government’s plans to revise the Greek Constitution so as to allow the foundation of private college and universities.

The government also threatens to introduce Bills to curtail students’ rights and lecturers’ wages and conditions as well as pass legislation to get rid of the Academic Asylum which forbids police and state forces and agencies entering university premises and campuses.

Some 10,000 college and university students along with large contingents of university lecturers, school teachers and students, parents and trade unionists, marched through the Athens city centre last Wednesday stating their total opposition to the government plans.

Once again armed police refused to allow protesters close to the Vouli (Greek parliament) while hundreds of the hated MAT riot police squadrons occupied side streets.

At the rally, POSDEP (university professors’ and lecturers’ federation) president Professor Lazaros Apekis fiercely attacked the government’s plans stating that if the Constitution revision goes through whole departments and universities, especially in the provinces, will collapse. This will lead to the total privatisation of education, he said.

POSDEP have declared a three-day national strike this week and are set for an indefinite strike from next Monday.

Likewise, students’ representatives stated that their occupations will become indefinite from Monday if the government does not withdraw their plans.

Students plan to picket the heads of universities convention this Saturday and stage another national mobilisation next Thursday.