On the subject of events at Exarchia, which has been the subject of discussion after the latest serious incidents, the Minister of Citizen Protection, among other things, mentioned. Michalis Chrysochoidis, In an interview he gave last night on the Action24 television channel, stressing that no event is forbidden at Streff’s hillor other parts of the area, except those concerning the occupation of the “extrovert”, that is, the ownership of the municipality that has been ongoing for a year.
“I have no intention of banning any concentration”Mr. Chrysochoidis said, answering a question and added: “Why. One is the problem. There is an event the tomorrow. This is the problem I will describe to you now. There is, then, an event that says that tomorrow is the anniversary of the one year of the extrovert occupation. What is extroverted. A place, a municipality refreshment room please and the municipality say that this is going to lease it by a decision of the Municipal Council, to an individual. Here, then, we have a municipal fortune that was illegally captured by some. So this cannot be done. We cannot do events for an occupation. This cannot be done. This is not legal. “
Continuing on the same subject the Minister noted:
‘The prohibition applies only to the illegal occupation of Extroverted. And here’s the end. They can do anywhere. Either on Streff’s hill or in Streff’s theater. Or in a closed space there. But events in the extrovert where they become illegal party! What do I mean illegal party? That some people come there. They carry drinks. I don’t know what drinks. I don’t know through what procedures. Those that were old in universities. All that we were tolerated. So this is not tolerable. Beyond that, let’s do whatever they want. They are free to do concerts, gatherings and everything else. “
Mr. Chrysochoidis also provided evidence that shows a dramatic decline in crime in Exarchia after 2019 taken by the Mitsotakis government, describing the area as “a normal neighborhood”.
As he said: “In order to clarify things, because I am a politician and I have to express what I express and what I represent, to represent it in the context of sincerity and especially of persuasion, I want to give you some information,” the minister said, and continued: “In 2019 this government was there, the government was 1.48. Today ’23 was 347 and ’24 was 385. That is, we have a 74%reduction. So, there has been a job in Exarchia in terms of crime. The robberies from 210 in ’18 went 17. That is, we have a 90%reduction. Attacks on police officers in these years, from ’19 until today, until last year, they were 149. It is 94. Sorry, ’24 is 20. We have a reduction of 86%. Well and I’ll make you a reference to drug cases. Where in ’19 we had 90 drug cases and now we have 3. So, then, we have a big, spectacular and real reduction in crime. Also, the Exarchia, if you go, I guess you go on Fridays, they are full of people. They are new businesses, catering businesses, fun. It’s a normal neighborhood. Where is the problem? Why do they say that Chrysochoid wants to ban gatherings and events? First of all, I am proud that in my previous term, ’19 -’21, we have passed the law on rallies and the right to meet and regulate the right to meet. And the police have an obligation to protect the right to meet. That is, to protect the citizens so as not to dissolve the concentrations. Equally starting and ending peacefully and safely. “
About the occupations In universities, Mr. Chrysochoidis said that there were no substantial. “One last yesterday in Thessaloniki, in the natural, a very old, 20 -year -old case, which is over because the Rector’s authorities, university authorities want to use the premises. Something in Heraklion, in Athens there is nothing. Consider that in Metsovio, the Guinness building. We emptied it four years ago. Today, the Rector at the Technical University of Kato, Metsovio, Patision has put cameras. There are few things. We have no occupations anymore. Anyone who is trying to recapture a building is obviously the key to university authorities, “the Minister of Citizen Protection said.