As summer approaches – a season the government hopes will remain free of fiery turmoil – the Maximos Mansion is operating from a position of political strength. This is evident in the latest rolling polls showing New Democracy hovering around the 30% mark.

Determined to avoid becoming entangled in politically damaging situations, the government is proactively addressing issues that concern citizens, aiming to shape the national agenda and escape the pressure of opposition parties.

Meeting with Rectors Focuses on Security

Today at noon, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to meet with university rectors at the Maximos Mansion, with campus safety high on the agenda. Government officials note that university administrations will be pushed to draft and update the mandatory safety plans, as only one in three institutions has done so to date.

In parallel, swift action is expected on disciplinary measures for students who assault university staff or vandalize facilities. The goal is to streamline procedures and eliminate delays.

At last month’s rectors’ conference, Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki presented the government’s core proposals:

• Each university must have a single disciplinary council to promptly handle incidents and conclude proceedings within two months.
• Students facing criminal charges for violent acts or major destruction will automatically lose their student status for two years. A conviction would lead to permanent expulsion.
• Access to university premises would be strictly controlled via student ID systems.
• Students proven to have damaged public university property would be held financially responsible for repairs.

Social Initiatives and Public Engagement

Beyond the university issue, Mitsotakis will unveil a new platform on Tuesday alongside Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Domna Michailidou. The platform will consolidate housing-related government interventions.

On Thursday, he will travel to Volos, and on Friday, he is expected to visit one of the new Disability Certification Centers (KEPA).

Foreign Affairs and Domestic Pressures

Mitsotakis is also managing crises on both domestic and international fronts. One key issue is the recent turmoil sparked by an Egyptian appellate court’s decision affecting the legal status of the Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai. A Greek delegation led by Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Religious Affairs Secretary General Giorgos Kalantzis will visit Cairo on Wednesday to negotiate a resolution – either by appealing the court decision or via an intergovernmental agreement.

Tempi Inquiry and Political Fallout

Domestically, the government must soon deal with the sensitive case of former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis and the upcoming preliminary investigation (Pre-Investigation Committee) following the tragic Tempi train disaster.

ND maintains that it disagrees with PASOK’s push for felony charges against Karamanlis, yet it is urging opposition parties to support its own proposal so that the former minister is referred to judicial review regardless.

Behind the scenes, the government is mindful that some ND MPs may be skeptical in the upcoming secret vote. Karamanlis himself has been in contact with fellow MPs and is expected to address Parliament, reiterating his request to be judged by the judicial council, in line with ND’s “Triantopoulos model.”

OPEKEPE Shake-up

Lastly, concerning the case of the Greek Payment Authority (OPEKEPE), Mitsotakis is standing firm on his “shock therapy” doctrine: closing the agency and placing it under the authority of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). Government insiders dismiss the idea of forming a parliamentary inquiry, emphasizing that political figures merely oversaw OPEKEPE’s operations and were not involved in day-to-day decisions, despite leadership changes.