“ELAS patrols in the Attica Basin will be reinforced from January 20, as 600 new special guards begin their work,” said Minister of Civil Protection Takis Theodorikakos.

“Their distribution will be based on gaps in organizational positions and where there is a great need to fight crime,” the minister added, referring to SKAI. “This applies both to areas in the center of Athens and areas in the western suburbs and especially in areas where we often carry out special operations, Zephyri, Lyosia, Menidi and in the new dynamic areas of the basin with a large urban population and great police needs. The police are everywhere strengthened by their presence in order to fulfill the need to strengthen the sense of security of citizens.”

Regarding the situation on Evros, the minister noted: “The construction of a fence on Evros is a national security requirement. In the first days of the new year, 2,000 illegal immigrants tried to enter Greece. 25 traffickers were also arrested. From Souffle to Kornofoliya, 35 kilometers of fence will be built.” We proceed immediately to the tender so that we can immediately begin the construction of the fence. The studies are ready and there has been full cooperation with the army to provide everything needed. We are moving forward because it is necessary for national security, it is necessary to put a decisive end to illegal immigration from Evros.”

At the same time, speaking about the attitude of the official opposition, he noted: “Unfortunately, for petty reasons, the official opposition uses everything as a tool. Even questions related to our national identity, existence and our national strategy. What Greek citizen doesn’t want the Parthenon sculptures back in Greece? They are identical and symbolize our history, Hellenism, our national identity for thousands of years. And unfortunately this is not only the case with the Parthenon marble, they did the same the day before yesterday when the prime minister went to Gavdos and sent a very loud message of international resolve towards Turkey and its current problems and the official opposition came out and said we had destroyed the republic. All this is fiction, it is a blatant slander against the Greek police, but also against the government, and they should be stopped.”

Mr. Theodorikakos also stressed, among other things: “Those who ruled the country for four years until 2019 and sent us to failure, to splitting, killing the middle class, degrading our homeland, betraying the name of Macedonia in Skopje, they are not allowed to return. And the Greeks must ensure stability and the prospect of a homeland.”

Regarding drug arrests, he stressed: “In 2022, EL.AS was arresting drug cases. 13,700 people. This case is the focus of police attention. There is a problem that everyone should be aware of. The user is a sick person. When the police pick him up from there and take him to the police station and pre-trial detention center, he will be released the next day. This is a reality, the responsibility for which, as you understand, lies not only with the Police. I believe that it is necessary that there be much more buildings, especially on the outskirts of the city, when we are talking about the Attic Basin. We need a bigger plan. We are discussing this with the Ministry of Health and local self-government, because you understand that they have more weight in this aspect. Drug addicts are sick people, and in order for them to recover, it is necessary to find a way for us all to support them. This is reality”.

Mr. Theodorikakos also noted that 2022 had the lowest number of homicides in the last 12 years and had the highest percentage of homicide investigations, and regarding the university police, he noted: “Currently, they patrol three universities: at AUTH and at the University campus and Zografos Polytechnic University and achieved significant results. Typical is the case of the OPPI patrols who helped to dismantle the workshop that was the place where Molotov cocktails were made at the Zograf Technical University about 50 days ago.”

Finally, the minister expressed his condolences to the family of journalist Panagiotis Tsen, who died yesterday.

According to APE, SKAI