Sept. 22, a day with no cars
Greece is taking part for the second consecutive year in Europe’s Day without Cars on September 22, this Saturday, Environment Minister Costas Laliotis said yesterday. Over 80 cities and towns around Greece have declared they will close off a section of their downtown area to traffic on that day. In Athens, the entire commercial sector will be closed to traffic, including the historic center of the city, comprising Kolokotroni, Sophocleous, Evripidou and Mitropoleos streets, as well as the streets of Athinas, Apostolou Pavlou, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Ermou (as far as Aghion Asomaton) and Vassilisis Olgas (between Amalias and Vassileos Constantinou) avenues. In Thessaloniki, Nikis Avenue will be closed between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. The ministry has suggested that public transport be provided free of charge, as it was last year, a move which Transport Minister Christos Verelis is set to announce today. Simitis discussed the consequences of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States with Defense Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos, in light of the Government Council on Foreign Policy and Defense (KYSEA) that will be held on Thursday. Sources said that Tsochadzopoulos provided Simitis with a detailed analysis as to how the latest developments are leading to a new kind of war. He also expressed the opinion that even if the United States conducts a ground war they will not ask Greece to contribute more than it did during the Gulf War, suggesting that a Greek force will not be participating, the same sources said.
