Roads closed in Athens (20/2)

Closed roads In Athens today (20/2) the police are carrying out traffic regulations in the center of the capital. The reason is a new protest rally by artists on Panepistimi street, outside the REX theater.

Specifically according to ELAS:

He got it Traffic is blocked Vehicles in Vasilisis Amalia Avenue from the height of Sykrou and Panepistimio Street.

Artists – meeting and concert in Athens

The actors make it clear that there is no change with the recent KYA proposed by the government and they are continuing their struggle on a vigorous path until the final withdrawal of the clause to dissolve their titles. They warn the government not to dare to revise Article 16 of the Constitution which deals with public and free education.

On Monday afternoon, artists staged a protest rally and concert on Panepistimi Street in central Athens.

“To those who listen to us”, we make it clear that we are actively continuing the fair struggle that we started on December 17, Cultural Workers declare to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, rejecting government regulations on Friday.

Artist’s letter to Prime Minister:

“On the evening of Friday, February 17, the draft KYA was announced by the Ministry of Culture. Unfortunately, with this draft that does not respond to our demands, the government shows again that it does not want to provide solutions to the existing problems. In our meeting last Wednesday 15/2, we saw that the Prime Minister committed himself to legislative regulation, not KYA. To clarify, KYA is legally weaker and subordinate than a law or a presidential decree.

According to the Ministry of Defence, Pt. 85/22 has not been modified so we are in Secondary Education (DE) category. Only salary and attitude has been announced for TE category, but this creates a contradiction where artists, academic staff and allied professions are employed as TE. In this way we believe that this initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs will create more problems than it tries to solve.

This MLA does not classify us in a new professional category (nor can it because it is not a legislative regulation), we are in the DE category. (By Presidential Decree 85/2022) The eligibility criteria are described there. Additionally, with KYA, there is an attempt to baptize the work as a “work of art” for whoever is hired for the job. When “Works of Art (KE)” is not a legal professional category, we do not understand the reason for listing it as such. All that is being done by this statement is to deliberately confuse public opinion. Therefore, our course and degree is not recognized. This KYA has not at least satisfied the demand of our struggle, which finally recognizes our arts courses, through our classification, in the TE category.

Following the above decisions, we continue our struggle for fair professional standards for our degrees and disciplined education and work. We are not in any way seeking to amend Article 16 of the Constitution. Within the provisions of Article 16, we demand that all art school graduates and workers in arts and culture be recognized by being classified in the TE category. (besides those already belonging to the B.E. category), something that has been done and has already been done on many other occasions.

Of course, our demands for establishing public tertiary higher arts education at all levels and integrated public arts education and strengthening the student body with the benefits of free food, housing and books are active in the entire field of our demands. .

For two months our mobilisations, the collective resignation of the teaching staff of three drama schools, occupations and strikes have been much larger than 179 euros. The announcement to establish an arts school in 2025 alone does not respond to current demands and can only be considered as another pre-election announcement.

On Friday, February 17, closing exactly two months since the issuance of the Presidential Decree, we concluded our legal action by filing an application to annul the Presidential Decree as unconstitutional and against the law of the European Union. 85/2022 (Government Gazette 232/t. a΄/17-12-2022) to the Pradeshiya Sabha.

Cancellation request submitted and accepted:

1. Panhellenic Federation Listening Programs
2. Union of Greek Actors
3. Union of Greek Singers
4. Greek Directors Association
5. Association of Dramatic Art Educators
6. Union of Greek Cinema and Television Technicians – Audiovisual Sector
7. Association of Professional Artists Under the Stage
8. Association of Independent Film Producers and Audiovisual Workers of Northern Greece
9. Union of Musician Employees of the Municipality of Athens
10. Association of Musicians of Northern Greece
11. KTHBE Employees Association of all types of employees,
12. Association of Dance School Owners of Greece
13. Panhellenic Association of Alumni of Conservatories and Schools of Music
14. National Association of Theater Workers
15. A Union of the Lyric Heroes of Greece
16. Union of Workers in Theatre, Entertainment and Culture
17. Dance Teachers Association
18. Staff Union in the Ballroom

“To you who listen to us”, we make it clear that we are actively continuing the righteous struggle that we started from December 17. We have been emphasizing from the first moment that the tombstone placed by the government for our demands will be lifted with the support of the society who understands our demands and stands in support of us together with the industry and the student body.