Galery

1

Innovative proposals for the improvement of life quality in Athens as well as the safety of its residents and visitors are contained in the plan of the working team organized under the authority of the Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrisochoidis and the Deputy Minister Spyros Vougias.  

The report entitled “Action for Athens” will be presented to the Council of Ministers in the coming days. After taking the necessary decisions the realization of the plan will start. It includes seven guidelines for black trade, illegal immigrants, operation of stores, drug sale, prostitution, homeless people and empty buildings.

As noted in the report “this leads to the formation of criminalized environment, which has already taken a dimension of humanitarian crisis, but also conducive to the spread of xenophobic and racist views.”

 
Drugs

The number of drug dealers and drug users in a particular part of central Athens reaches 2500 people every day. The center for methadone treatment of addicts OKANA is located in Exarchia district. It is believed that as these people gather there this increases the number of dealers and facilitates the spread of drugs. As result, one of the proposals is the function of this center to be arranged at hospitals. Furthermore, it is suggested three premises outside this controversial area to be granted where adult addicts, youths and foreigners to be consulted and helped and directed to KETEA’s treatment programs. A cycle of seminars for police officers and how to behave with addicts is proposed too.
 
 
Black trade

It is mainly practiced by foreigners who sell fake branded bags and clothing. The proposal is the police to record the number of all street vendors and their status. To use the scanner program of Frontex in Patras and Igoumenitsa in order to trace the route of the goods at their entry into Greece. To strengthen the control over Chinese shops as they are source of goods with no “identity.” Places for multicultural markets in Athens and other areas similar to Camden market in London to be specified. These markets will not sell illegal goods, but only legally imported and handmade ones. The alternative proposal is such goods to be handed to the poor instead of being destroyed.

 
Illegal immigrants

Most of the immigrants in the country are without documents because they can not return back home. Therefore they must be registered. Apartment owners who rent illegally and thus do not pay taxes should be found. The proposal for legal settlement of those living in Greece should be examined as well as the existing jobs for immigrants, for example in agriculture.

Coffee bars

There are 18,500 bars in the center of Athens, of which 2500 are in the historic center and about 200-250 of them have no work permission. The proposal of the Ministry of Environment is to specify the use of the land in each district and to approve a regulation so as the functions of the police to be explicit.

 
Abandoned buildings

Many of the old buildings, some of which owned by the state, are abandoned and often become shelter of drug addicts and immigrants. Many of the buildings are illegally rented to foreigners and later are declared as abandoned. The owners do not maintain these buildings and they become center of infections. The proposal is to register the owners of abandoned old buildings and all those who illegally rent their property to foreigners and do not pay taxes, to implement the “Athens 2014” Program of the Ministry of Environment and to develop policies to enable these buildings to become habitable again, and if not, to be used as cultural centers.

 
Homeless people

There are about 250 places where homeless people can be seen. They should be registered and profiled. The proposal is to create a government shelter for adults and to integrate former prisoners into society, so as not to fall into the streets homeless. To create overnight accommodation for wanderers and apply the one-euro job model of Germany which includes unemployed and people without income. Those who are enrolled in the social service should be given the opportunity to work as municipal street cleaners. They will earn € 1-2 per hour without losing their right to social payments.

 
Prostitution

Most of the brothels have lost their work permits after 1999. As a result 230 brothels currently operate in Athens, of which only three are authorized and two have submitted their documents for permission. Moreover, the state pays € 380,000 for medical examinations and 2000 women who exercise the oldest profession in the world have a permit and pay their social securities. The proposal is to amend the law and to reduce the allowed distance of brothels from churches, schools, playgrounds, etc as well as to consider the proposal to issue permission for practicing the job of prostitution outside the home.