With the motto "Let’s get our city back," merchants, municipal authorities and hundreds of private companies aim at changing the appearance of the centre of Athens and reviving it.

Like many other recent attempts by Greek governments, a compromise has been reached but ineffective again. Greek parliament is expected to vote a law that does not repeal the restrictive criteria for issuing a taxi licence, but only changes them.

"We will not allow such a thing, this is an election trick," said the Mayor of the northern Greek municipality. The residents of Neapoli and Kozani, supported by regional authorities, will oppose the project.

For fears of attacks on politicians, Athens and major cities in Greece will become impenetrable fortresses. Police officers have been ordered to use batons and tear gas in case of need as well as to make preventive arrests.

UK and Germany comprise 25% of the Greek tourist market and we can not afford to lose them, says the president of the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies.

In less than four years, over two hundred bank branches have closed in Greece and about four thousand employees have been dismissed, according to data for the period 2008-2011. The cut in bank branches came naturally with the deepening crisis and recession.

Half of the deputies disaffiliated with PASOK and New Democracy have joined other parties. A surprisingly large percentage of approval was received by the new Independent Greeks party. The extreme right-wing Golden Dawn is gaining power.