September 16, 1953
CENTER DISSOLVED: Paris, 15 (From our correspondent S. Theodorou) – Speaking to correspondents from Greek newspapers today, the leader of the Liberal Party, Sophocles Venizelos, categorically denied the current rumors that he was intending to retire from politics, and he spoke with asperity of the fragmentation and confusion that is now prevailing among the opposition parties. «Perhaps,» said Venizelos, «my disappointment and disgust with the current state of the democratic parties has been misunderstood. This is a disgust which grows daily with the election rerun in Evros. While the Rally (of Prime Minister A. Papagos) retains its unity and cohesion, the opposition has not learned anything even from developments in the recent past. It still seems to be divided into many parties without principles or genuine ideological disagreements. New parties and new political leaders keep appearing, many of them without followers…» SMOKING ON BUSES: Suburban traffic police officers are stricter than their urban counterparts. They enforce the ban on smoking in buses with exceptional zeal, even when all the windows are open. Many smokers caught having an illicit puff have been sent summons and fined heavily by courts in Halandri and Kifissia.
