Athens mayor's reaction to gov't initiative to safeguard city's historic centre

Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis on Wednesday responded to statements made a day earlier by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou during an informal ministerial Cabinet meeting concerning Athens’ historic centre:

“The government in power is exclusively responsible for cracking down on crime and for instilling a sense of security in the citizens of our cities. I am pleased that, after many months, the prime minister is dealing with the problem that exists in Athens’ historic centre and has adopted all of the City of Athens’ proposals in full, just as they were submitted several months ago to the competent ministries and featured in a volume ... Two points mentioned by the prime minister made a particular impression on me," he said, adding:

"Firstly, that he fully agreed with me on the need for the Organisation Against Drugs drug rehabilitation units to be relocated away from the city’s historic centre - all of them had been established during PASOK government terms - ignoring the fact that the competent deputy minister, Ms (Fofi) Gennimata, has a totally different point of view from his.

"And the second element that made an impression on me is that I did not hear a word about the substantive safeguarding of Greece’s borders, which would ensure that our country no longer constitutes a ‘borderless state’, where anyone can enter and leave, for whatever reason they like.”

source: ana-mpa.gr