Syntagma

Well over 100,000 protesters from across Greece converged Sunday on Athens' main square to protest a potential Greek compromise in a dispute with the neighboring the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the former Yugoslav republic's official name. 

Confusion grew on Tuesday regarding a rally being planned in the Greek capital on Sunday over the ongoing name negotiations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), as the City of Athens was examining two separate requests submitted for the use of Syntagma Square.

Syntagma metro station in central Athens will be closed on Monday morning for security reasons as Israeli President Reuven Rivlin conducts an official visit to Greece.

Trains will not be stopping at Syntagma station.

The station will reopen on the orders of the Greek Police. 

The Association of Greek Clerics has thrown its considerable weight behind a rally that is set to take place in Athens on February 4 to protest ongoing negotiations between Athens and Skopje regarding the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

After initial concerns of possible clashes with self-styled anarchists, the organizers behind last Sunday's rally over the ongoing name talks between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) have decided to move the Athens installment of the event back to Syntagma Square.

Two unions will be holding separate rallies in central Athens on Thursday evening to protest a law imposing strict penalties on anyone trying to prevent foreclosure auctions.

Although new barriers that work with the recently launched electronic transport tickets were due to be activated at all metro stations in Athens on Wednesday, just six were in operation.

Transport authorities hope to activate the barriers at a minimum of one more station by the end of this year.

Hundreds of elderly Greeks protested against deep cuts to their pensions on Thursday as well as measures included in the government's draft 2018 budget which they say will undermine access to healthcare and phase out the so-called EKAS allowance for low-pension retirees.

The protesters gathered at Kotzia Square in central Athens before marching to the Health Ministry.

Shops in the downtown Athens area rolled down their metal shutters on Friday afternoon amid fears of violence breaking out during the annual march commemorating the 1973 uprising against the 1967-74 military dictatorship.

Fourteen refugees who had been on a hunger strike for two weeks while camped on Syntagma Square in central Athens ended their action on Tuesday.