Gümülcine Municipal Council reacts to Minister Zacharaki's remarks about studying in Gümülcine

The Municipal Council of Gümülcine has officially expressed its disapproval of recent comments made by Minister of Education Sofia Zacharaki, who questioned how easy it is for students to study in Gümülcine—remarks perceived as undermining the city’s academic reputation and its university community.

The Council unanimously adopted the statement issued by the Law School of the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), following a proposal brought forward by council member Cleopatra Stogiannidou, who voiced disappointment with the minister’s comments. Stogiannidou noted that the municipality had previously enjoyed positive cooperation with Zacharaki in her former role as Minister for Family Affairs.

Unfortunate Remarks Spark Broad Political Criticism
Minister Zacharaki, speaking in Parliament on 8 July 2025 during discussions surrounding university admissions, stated:

“How easy is it to go study in Gümülcine?”

This comment, framed as a piece of guidance to students filling out their university preference forms, was widely interpreted as casting doubt on Gümülcine's accessibility and appeal as a university city.

The head of the "Strong Gümülcine" party, Antonis Gravanis, called the statement at the very least unfortunate, pointing out that cities should not be judged solely on perceived accessibility. Instead, he said, the Ministry should be working to improve conditions in regional cities if challenges exist.

Panagiotis Karakolidis, head of the opposition party "Spartakos", was more direct, likening the minister’s statement to the rhetoric of private university lobbyists.

Mayor Giannis Garanis affirmed the sentiment of the Law School’s resolution, highlighting that all available university spots in Gümülcine were filled this year, a strong endorsement by the students themselves. While expressing regret that the matter arose, he supported the move to formally send the resolution to the minister’s office.

The Resolution from the Law School
The adopted resolution states that Zacharaki’s comment:

Undermines a law school with over 50 years of academic history, widely respected for the quality of its faculty and the achievements of its graduates.

Conflicts with her institutional duty as Education Minister to support public higher education.

Constitutes a direct blow to regional public universities, especially amid concerns over the upcoming launch of private universities in Greece.

Is incompatible with the long-standing contributions of the DUTH Law School to legal scholarship in Greece.

The Law School and Gümülcine Municipality both urge the minister to retract or clarify her statements in the near future.

Source: Paratiritis News