A homemade explosive device went off early yesterday morning, damaging the rear entrance of the Notes nightclub on Iera Odos, central Athens, and smashing the windows of neighboring buildings but without causing any injuries. Police believe the attackers did not intend to kill anyone as the blast took place when the club was closed. They are attributing the attack, in which sticks of dynamite were used, to an act of revenge against the club owner, against whose life two attempts have recently been made.

George Papandreou told voters yesterday that they should treat next June’s European Parliament elections as a referendum on whether the government should stay in power. Speaking at a rally in Thiseio, central Athens, on the occasion of PASOK’s 34th anniversary, Papandreou distanced himself from previous comments in which he suggested that voters had a “relaxed” attitude to Euro-elections and called on Greeks to show their dissatisfaction with the government. He also reiterated a demand for Parliament to investigate the Siemens scandal.

Seven soldiers were hospitalized yesterday following a collision between a military truck and a car near Thessaloniki. According to traffic police, the car smashed into the back of the military truck for reasons that were yesterday unclear. The soldiers sustained minor injuries. The motorist and his two passengers emerged relatively unscathed but were taken to hospital for first aid.

Police were yesterday seeking the persons responsible for a large cannabis cultivation in Messinia, in the Peloponnese, that was spotted by a patrol helicopter on Tuesday. The farm, with 1,790 cannabis plants ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 meters in height, is flanked by two plastic water tanks and tents in which it is believed that the “farm hands” had slept. Officers had not managed to trace the hash farmers by late last night.

Police in Patras yesterday detained 15 illegal immigrants, discovered in a truck that had been about to board a ferry to Italy, as well as the migrants’ suspected smuggler, the 33-year-old truck driver. The nationality of the migrants was not revealed. Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said meanwhile that Greece was continuing its efforts to curb “the huge problem” of illegal immigration.

The 400 passengers that had been due to board a ferry departing from the Aegean island of Myconos for Rafina yesterday were obliged to wait several hours for alternative vessels to take them to their destination. The Theologos P. had to remain moored off Myconos for at least one day in order for the necessary repairs to be carried out.

Doctors at state hospitals are to stage a five-day strike from September 15 to protest proposed tax reforms and understaffing in their sector. On September 18 the doctors are to stage a rally in front of the Health Ministry offices in Athens.