This Week
Monday Olympic shopping hours begin, with stores open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Most shops will be closed on Sundays except those in tourist areas. PM Costas Karamanlis meets with Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, Justice Minister Anastassis Papaligouras and Deputy Culture Minister (for sports) Giorgos Orfanos to discuss reform in Greek football and measures to curb crowd violence. National First Aid Center (EKAB) employees hold general meeting at 9 p.m. to discuss further strike action. They are demanding to be paid Olympic bonuses. Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) staff to hold work stoppages from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m, demanding the recruitment of more staff. Aghios Antonios station on metro’s Line 2 opens in Peristeri. Ano Patissia station on the Piraeus-Kifissia railway line opens for passengers after extensive refurbishment. Public Order Minister Voulgarakis to visit Gypsy settlements in Aspropyrgos. Health Minister Nikitas Kaklamanis inaugurates new wing at Sismanogleio Hospital, including surgeries, outpatient clinics, laboratories and emergency room. Deputy Culture Minister Petros Tatoulis inaugurates an exhibition on the «New Acropolis Museum: Creating its exhibition style,» at the Weiler building at Makriyianni, where the museum was supposed to be built for the Olympics. Group calling itself the Democratic Rally for Popular Liberties and Solidarity is to file suit at Athens Court Complex at 11 a.m., seeking the grounding of the airship providing aerial surveillance as part of Olympic security. Olympic Torch Relay visits island of Evia. Tuesday To mark the Olympics, the National Book Center (EKEBI) is organizing «The Journey of Greek Literature,» featuring translated works of the last 10 decades. Jacques Bouchard, translator, professor of modern Greek literature at the University of Montreal, and member of the Royal Academy of Canada, will be the keynote speaker. At Zappeion Hall’s press center at 6 p.m. Tel. 210.920.0346. Piraeus local authorities and residents hold a demonstration at 7.30 p.m. at Korai Sq, opposing the privatization of Pasalimani Port. Olympic Torch Relay visits Livadia, Arachova and Delphi in central Greece. Wednesday Athens hotel workers stage a 24-hour strike demanding higher pay. They will hold a demonstration at Klafthmonos Square at 10 a.m. Olympic Torch Relay visits Amfissa, Itea, Galaxidi and Nafpaktos in central Greece and the Ionian island of Zakynthos. Thursday Communist-led peace movement holds annual commemoration of US bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the Acropolis at 7.30 p.m. Olympic Torch Relay visits islands of Cephalonia, Ithaca, Lefkada, Corfu and the mainland port of Astakos. Friday 2004 Pre-Olympic Congress on «Sports Science Through the Ages: Challenges in the New Millennium» at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. To August 11. Tel. 2310.425.159. Olympic Torch Relay visits Igoumenitsa, Sivota, Parga and Preveza in western mainland Greece. Saturday Olympic Torch Relay visits Arta, Amfilohia and Agrinion in western Greece. Sunday Olympic Torch Relay visits Messolonghi in western Greece and crosses the newly built Rio-Antirio bridge before visiting Patras in the Peloponnese.
