Public safety

Turkey was the most successful country in combatting forest fires in 2020 with an area of 6.2 hectares per fire, according to the European Forest Fire Information System data.

The area per fire in the U.S. was 68 hectares, and in Spain, it was 20.4 hectares, while this figure remained around 6.2 hectares in Turkey.

The family of former socialist minister and anti-junta activist Sifis Valyrakis who was found dead at sea on Sunday night has filed a lawsuit with the prosecutor of Halkida, Evia.

Laws and counter-terrorism strategies in the Balkans demonstrate a failure on the part of governments to take seriously the threat from far-right extremism, according to a BIRN analysis.

Student, teacher and parent unions and groups are planning a demonstration in central Athens on Thursday to protest against a draft education bill that aims to introduce changes to tertiary education.

Policing. The use of the word alone makes understanding difficult.

That is another blow for the police in charge of guarding the Congress, because one police officer died during the riots last Wednesday, writes the New York Post.
It is Howard Liebengood (51), who died on Saturday while he was not on duty, the police announced.

Some of the officers in the newly established police directorate for task operations and counterterrorism will take part in special training programs focused on shooting, checking and buildings' securing skills as well as on detaining terrorists and releasing hostages.

A woman who lost her husband and both her children in the 2018 fire at Mati, east Attica, accuses fire service officials of a coverup and is demanding that they face criminal charges.

The Athens Traffic Police said on Monday that a "smart" traffic light system equipped with surveillance cameras to monitor pedestrians and motorists will soon be piloted in the Greek capital.

The exact location where the system will be installed was not revealed. The results of the pilot program will be evaluated in order to expand the measure throughout Attica.

The trial over the death of 33-year-old LGBTQI activist Zak Kostopoulos in September 2018 in central Athens has been set for October 21.

Six people - two store owners and four police officers - are facing charges of causing fatal bodily harm.

The activist's family had lamented the delays in setting a date.