In a recent budget discussion, Meropi Tzoufi, a deputy from the New Left, criticized the underfunding and understaffing of public universities in Greece. Addressing Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, she expressed concerns about government choices favoring private education over public institutions. Tzoufi pointed out the lack of dialogue with the academic community and raised issues regarding the evaluation of research programs and staffing shortages in schools, suggesting the possibility of rehiring retired teachers.