PM highlights Thessaloniki metro launch

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis marked the inauguration of the northern city of Thessaloniki's metro station Saturday, calling it a transformative project.

"I believe it will be embraced by the people of Thessaloniki," he said in an interview with ANT1 TV, noting the challenges overcome to complete it. "We went through 40 waves," he added.

The Thessaloniki Metro officially began operations at 1.30 p.m. Saturday, with large crowds filling trains, many taking photos and selfies. At the Venizelos station, where the metro intersects with an archaeological site, passengers stopped to photograph ancient ruins. The metro, nearly 20 years in the making, was delayed by funding issues during Greece's 2009-2018 debt crisis. It is Greece's first metro system outside Athens.

Additionally, during Saturday's interview, Mitsotakis rejected the possibility of making changes...