In Brief
TAXI HIKE
Fares to rise by up to 7.5 percent; minimum fee from March -2.65 The government gave the green light yesterday for an increase in taxi fares of up to 7.5 percent, about a year after the latest hike in cab charges. The single fare charge will increase from 0.32 euros to 0.34 euros while the double fare rate will rise to 0.64 euros from 0.60 euros. Passengers will be required to pay a minimum fee of 2.65 euros, regardless of the distance covered. The current minimum stands 2.50 euros. The new fares will be valid as of March. JUDICIARY SWINDLE Cashier ‘netted’ 900,000 euros A 45-year-old judiciary official, entrusted with collecting the payments of convicts paying off their sentences in Corinth, was yesterday detained in Nafplion after being charged with swindling the coffers of the Greek judiciary out of 900,000 euros. The unnamed employee, who worked alone, allegedly spent years marking down sums smaller than the cash he received from defendants, police said. The scam was exposed following an investigation by the Nafplion appeals court. The employee’s predecessor had carried out a similar scam 15 years ago. Anarchist attack Suspected anarchists yesterday detonated a makeshift bomb outside a branch of Citibank in Melissia, northern Athens, causing minor damage but no injuries, police said. Several small cooking gas canisters were used in the explosive device, police added. Separately, New Democracy offices in two different areas of Thessaloniki were damaged late on Sunday night by two homemade explosive devices. No one was hurt in the explosions that went off outside the offices shortly before midnight. Fake acid Police said that a taxi driver was attacked in Petroupolis, western Athens, yesterday by a passenger who threatened to throw acid in the driver’s face if he did not hand over his money. The suspect threw the liquid at the driver after he resisted, however, it turned out to only be chlorine. The suspect then managed to escape, police said. EFET complaints The number of complaints lodged with the Hellenic Food Authority (EFET) by consumers last year dropped by 40 percent, EFET President Ioannis Vlemmas said yesterday. The drop in complaints reflects the impact of EFET’s inspections on food manufacturers and retailers, Vlemmas said.
