Greece scolded over EU emergency line delays

The head of the European Commission department that regulates communications networks, content and technology sent Greece a sternly-worded letter last week over its failure to keep the promise it made seven months ago to set up the 112 European emergency telephone number.

Greece last August had pledged in the aftermath of last summer's devastating wildfires in eastern Attica to install the Europe-wide hotline by the beginning of 2019.

In his letter, Roberto Viola urged the government to submit to the Commission a roadmap to clearly identify when the service will be fully operational. "If the Greek Government intends to deal with the situation shortly, it must inform it by February 15 at the latest," the letter said.

Greece's General Secretariat for Civil Protection told Kathimerini that the government has committed to address the issue of the emergency hotline...