Minister announces radical changes to university police

New Citizen Protection Minister Notis Mitarakis announced on Wednesday a radical rethinking of the role and structural organization of the special university police force set up by the government in its previous term, possibly heralding its abolition.

“[The force] will not enter universities to play the part of a doorman. The role of the police is to assist and it will enter universities when needed,” he said, adding that “the universities themselves must have a more active role in their protection.”

The minister also announced the creation of a mounted police unit, a decision he signed on Tuesday. The force is comprised of six horses and police riders.

Main opposition SYRIZA released a statement stating the attempts of the government to set up a special police force has been a disaster.

“The only that remains is an expenditure of 30 million euros for a fiasco, while at the same time the National Ambulance Service faces severe shortages and people lose their lives without any help reaching them on a daily basis,” it said.