Michalis Chrisochoidis

Greece's minister in charge of police announced plans Monday to set up a nationwide network of domestic violence shelters, days after the fatal stabbing of a woman outside a police station.

Greek authorities on Tuesday ordered an urgent investigation into a woman's fatal stabbing outside an Athens police precinct where she had just requested protection from an ex-boyfriend.

Thessaloniki is set to increase the number of patrolling police officers, Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrisochoidis announced on Friday.

New Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis, in his fifth stint at the ministry overseeing the security forces since 1999, has his work cut out for him as he tries to overhaul the Hellenic Police.

The resulting riots refocused attention on a controversial decision to resurrect a notorious motorized police brigade and triggered more talk of strengthening a mechanism to monitor police behaviour. But experts say its effectiveness depends on the readiness of those at the top to act.

The Kifissia-Lamia section of Athens-Thessaloniki motorway, which was closed as a precaution early on Monday due to heavy snowfall and unsafe driving conditions, will reopen between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis said after an emergency meeting on Monday.

Α meeting will be held at the Civil Protection's operatin center on Thursday to discuss the state's preparation ahead of the imminent cold front that is expected to hit a large part of the country in the following days.

The plan that will be followed to ensure strict adherence with Covid restrictions on New Year's Eve and January 1 was examined in a virtual meeting of top cabinet ministers and government officials on Thursday.

The Greek government will send 400 troops to handle the increased migrant flow from Turkey. Thus, the government will strengthen the security along the Evros River, located in northeastern Greece.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday visited the Greek island of Evia where a huge wildfire prompted the evacuation of villages and spurred an appeal from authorities for assistance from European Union partners.
Mitsotakis was expected to visit the Fire Department's Olympos (Olympus) mobile unit to be briefed on progress fighting the fire.