New display of arrogance and authoritarianism by the government
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 20th September 2019, Nicosia
President Anastasiades and the Finance Minister Haris Georgiades have once again displayed a new demonstration of their arrogance, authoritarianism and social insensitivity.
At a time when dialogue is demanded on education issues, President Anastasiades has chosen to attack teacher’s trade union organizations, arrogantly declaring that it is the government that is in charge and rules. But precisely because it is the government that is governing – or, better till, that should be governing – it is the one that is responsible and should be judged on the situation with regards education issues; responsible and judged with regards the understaffing and sloppiness, the experimentation policies such as the decision for 4 monthly exams and for the fact that the Minister of Education is counting new failures, blunders and new confrontations on a daily basis. If the government ruling forces are unable to talk to teachers and students, with whom do they consider they should be talking to about Education issues? The President and his Minister bear the main responsibility for the new confrontation that is looming on education, with school students and our country’s education the victims.
As for the economy – as confirmed once again in Parliament yesterday – the government are not only not unmoved by the unbearable stress and deterioration in the life of local communities and remote areas where the Hellenic Bank has closed its branches, but is insisting that more closures and further layoffs will follow. At the same time as society is suffering the consequences of the crime committed against the Cooperative Bank the Finance Minister is saying he isn’t resigning over it and neither is his government assuming any responsibility.
In other words, the government ruling forces are confirming that they are neither ashamed, nor do they regret the closure of the Coop Bank. It was, after all, a deliberate and organized strategy of the government and DISY to close down the Cooperative Bank, to hand it over to a private bank and to leave the field free to the arbitrariness of the banks.
The government ruling forces are systematically and arrogantly ignoring working people, professional groups, pensioners, students and pupils, those who do not belong to their closed circle and the privileged few.
This policy, along with this ethos and way of rule that they brought with them, expresses everything that the Anastasiades-DISY government represents and is implementing against the people and society. Incompetence, arrogance, authoritarianism and social insensitivity.
