SYRIZA criticizes government for patchy measures and lack of strategic planning on minority school infrastructure
The local committee of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance in Xanthi has renewed calls for the construction of a new school building for the Minority Junior High–High School of Xanthi, following a recent government-funded intervention at the existing facility. The intervention, which involved carpet flooring installation at a cost of €37,000, has sparked political criticism.
In an official statement, SYRIZA denounced the project as a “publicity stunt” and described the intervention as “insufficient,” arguing that it fails to address the core structural problems of a school housed since 1968 in a former 19th-century tobacco warehouse, which lacks adequate infrastructure for modern education.
The statement highlights the absence of essential facilities such as a proper schoolyard, science labs, and safe installations, noting that such critical deficits cannot be resolved with “carpets and temporary fixes.” SYRIZA also recalled that in 2017, under its administration, four new classrooms were delivered, and plans for a new school complex had been initiated—plans that, according to the party, were abandoned after the 2019 change in government.
The local SYRIZA committee affirmed its continued support for the creation of modern, safe, and fully functional school facilities for all students “without discrimination and without showcase policies.” It stressed that education is a cornerstone of social justice and urged that the issue be treated as a national priority rather than merely a local or minority concern.
