“Is it okay to walk around campus and look around in fear that someone is threatening you?” Indignation hid the tone of Mr. Stavrou Kurkulisdean of the School of Applied Mathematics and Science (SEMFE) when yesterday he was talking to “K” for unacceptable actions – threats and insults against themselves and students – in NTU on the occasion of the election to nominate student representatives to the NTUA faculty general meetings. Reason or no reason? “This behavior started many years ago and has not been eliminated. A start was made when groups of students were given the freedom to jointly run universities without enforcing the law. Now we are trying to return to normal life,” says Mr. Kurkulis.

In particular, the NTUA announced in 2022, as provided for by law 4957/2022, elections in nine schools. However, there was no interest from students other than SEMFE. The reason for the minimal interest is the reaction of a large part of the student factions to the Kerameo law. In particular, minimal nominations were presented in 5 schools, and none in 3 schools. There were 7 nominations for SEMFE. It was also not possible to set up electoral commissions with the required number of members, except in the SEMFE. Therefore, the elections were scheduled for yesterday only in SEMVE.

In connection with the reopening of higher education institutions last Monday, a group of 100 people came to the office of Mr. Kurkulis and, according to him, insulted him mainly for cleaning (Jan. ”, occupied by students and non-students. “Many colleagues from the engineering department witnessed the events of Monday,” said Mr. Kurkulis. On Tuesday, too, 100 people repeated the same performance, interrupting the teacher’s class. They asked not to hold yesterday’s elections. “The witnesses were dozens of students from the third semester who were waiting for the start of the lesson,” the dean said. The professors who they spoke to “K” yesterday they associate the reactionaries with a certain student group, which is positioned in the extra-parliamentary left, and which, at the protest demonstrations that took place yesterday at the Polytechnic University of Zograf, denounce Mr. Kurkulis and the NTUA leadership as “servants of the government.” However, it should be noted that the negative attitude of most of the NTUA student factions towards the prospects for elections was clear and recorded.

On Wednesday, members of student groups surrounded the candidates, threatening their physical integrity.

Candidate’s resignation

As for the seven students who participated in the elections, one resigned amid fear. The remaining six stated in an open letter that “a vulgar attempt to intimidate candidates began a few weeks ago. With a continuous escalation of reactivity from “friendly” calls to withdraw the candidacy to more intense disputes with some of the candidates, we reached a climax on Wednesday 11/01/2023. A large group of student gang members surrounded the candidates, threatening their physical integrity, hurling insults and trying to force them to withdraw their candidacy by direct intimidation. Such anti-democratic acts of terrorism and banditry are unacceptable and we are not going to sit idly by.” The six students then denounced the attitude of the members of the student faction “and any factions that contribute to their ‘project’, as they say.

For inciting Mr. Kurkulis, the general meeting of the EMPE School in an extraordinary meeting condemned “unreservedly the events of January 10, 2023, in which a group of persons, including several students of the EMPE School, led by a student (note: the name of the student is mentioned in the announcement) , they did not allow Professor Stavros Kurkulis, Dean of the EMFE School, to conduct the scheduled lesson and forced him to leave the classroom. He also unequivocally condemns the cruel and threatening behavior shown by members of this group when Mr. Kurkulis walked out of the classroom led by a SEMFE student (note: they also give the name of the student) who threatened Mr. Kurkulis and he severely abused him. obscene expressions. Such repetitive behavior is totally unacceptable, constitutes a serious disciplinary offense and is unacceptable.” He also decided to suspend the school for yesterday and today.

For his part, NTUA Rector Andreas Butuvis said in an email to NTUA students: “In my opinion, when NTUA manages to achieve a coherent representation of the student body in the administrative bodies, then it will take an important step in its significant modernization. , in line with international experience. But this is primarily a student matter. I hope that the current indifference, unwillingness or disagreement with the process or preference for “not messing with…” will soon give way to a realization of the need for meaningful presentation in academic terms. And then, probably, it will not be necessary to hold elections “under the auspices” of the rector.”