Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday showcased new social and technological initiatives during a visit to the state broadcaster ERT, pledging continued support for people with disabilities and stricter enforcement of order in the country’s universities.
Speaking in a live interview on ERT’s "Proto Programma," Mr. Mitsotakis highlighted an artificial intelligence-powered tool that provides real-time subtitles for ERT’s major news bulletins, a service now available to all viewers aimed primarily at deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens.
“This innovation allows anyone to watch the news silently with real-time subtitles,” Mr. Mitsotakis said. “It’s a small but meaningful step toward inclusion.”
He also presented the government’s new Kids Wallet app, designed to give parents control over their children's smartphone usage, particularly on social media.
“Greece is leading in Europe when it comes to these tools,” Mr. Mitsotakis said, encouraging parents to download the app and set usage limits in cooperation with their children.
The prime minister also addressed long-standing issues with state benefits for the deaf, noting the correction of a previous policy that had suspended support between the ages of 18 and 65.
“We are correcting this absurdity,” Mr. Mitsotakis said, citing the move as an example of inclusive governance.
Reflecting on the country’s fiscal performance, Mr. Mitsotakis stated that Greece ended 2024 with better-than-expected economic results, which enabled the government to announce permanent relief measures for 2025.
“This is the foundation for all our policies, from tax cuts to public investment,” he said.
The interview followed violent clashes between masked individuals at the Zografou university campus in Athens hours earlier. Mr. Mitsotakis acknowledged that while progress has been made in campus security, more needs to be done.
“There are no longer any active squatters inside university spaces,” Mr. Mitsotakis said, asserting that the long-standing “asylum of lawlessness” had effectively ended.
He emphasized that police are now authorized to intervene on university grounds at the request of university officials.
He warned that universities failing to implement formal security plans would face sanctions.4 “Everyone must take responsibility,” Mr. Mitsotakis said, calling for closer cooperation between the government and university administrations.
Speaking firmly on recent campus violence, Mr. Mitsotakis said those who engage in intimidation or attacks “should be expelled from public universities.”
“Freedom of expression is one thing,” he added. “But threatening or assaulting others to impose your views is unacceptable — and we will act decisively to stop it.”