Mitsotakis Addresses Sinai Monastery, University Safety, and Basketball Finals: "May the Best Team Win, Leave Negativity Behind"

Newsroom
June 8, 2025, 10:21 AM

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used his regular Sunday Facebook post to reflect on a busy week of government actions while addressing several pressing matters.

Sinai Monastery
Mitsotakis emphasized Greece’s firm stance on the St. Catherine’s Monastery case following the Ismailia Court of Appeal’s decision. He reiterated support for maintaining the monastery’s historic status quo as a Greek Orthodox landmark. Following assurances from Egyptian President Sisi and a recent meeting between Greek and Egyptian foreign ministers, both nations are committed to securing the monastery’s legal rights and operational continuity. Mitsotakis stressed the importance of a fair resolution to strengthen Greece-Egypt strategic ties.

Sports and Safety
Turning to domestic issues, Mitsotakis addressed rising tensions in the Greek Basket League finals. He highlighted measures implemented 15 months ago to curb sports-related violence, including mandatory cameras, digital fan ID systems, and automated sanctions. These steps have proven effective, and he urged team owners, players, and fans to uphold the law and maintain the spirit of competition. “The best team should win, leaving negativity off the courts,” he stated, emphasizing the need to protect basketball’s joy and competitiveness.

University Safety
Mitsotakis underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring safety in universities, rejecting any tolerance for violence or lawlessness. Since 2019, 48 university occupations have been cleared, and over 500 individuals arrested for criminal activities. New measures will further strengthen campus security, including automatic suspension of student status for up to 24 months for those prosecuted, enhanced access controls, and stricter penalties for non-compliant university administrations. Mitsotakis noted that rectors have welcomed these steps to protect public universities.

School Renovations
The “Marietta Giannakou” program will launch renovations for 426 schools across 245 municipalities, prioritizing special schools, border areas, and regions hit by natural disasters. Funded by a €100 million donation from the Hellenic Union of Banks and an additional €50 million annually from national funds, the initiative aims to modernize school infrastructure.

Housing Support
Mitsotakis highlighted the stegasi.gov.gr platform, which allows citizens to explore 43 housing programs worth €6.5 billion. The portal helps users calculate subsidies and tax relief tailored to their needs, streamlining access to home acquisition, renovation, and upgrade initiatives.

Public Service Evaluation
The Prime Minister addressed the misunderstood concept of public service evaluation, describing it as a tool for improvement, not punishment. A recent survey on axiologisi.ypes.gov.gr saw 65,000 citizens rate public services, providing valuable feedback for enhancements. The 2024 internal evaluation of 172,474 civil servants showed realistic performance metrics, with only 15,615 rated as high performers. Training courses have quadrupled, and €29.1 million in bonuses were awarded to those meeting targets, signaling a shift toward a more accountable public sector.

Economic Progress
Mitsotakis shared positive news from the European Commission’s report, which praised Greece’s strong economic performance, including high primary surpluses and growth rates double the Eurozone average. The approval of an escape clause for defense spending creates €500 million in fiscal space for 2026, to be allocated to development and social programs. Greece’s request to use 2024 as the base year for defense spending calculations was also accepted, reinforcing national defense priorities.

Closing Note
Mitsotakis concluded by wishing fans well for the basketball finals, urging all to focus on fair play and progress: “May the best team win, and let’s leave negativity behind for good.”

Sinai Monastery Awaits Key Ruling