Opposition urges PM to condemn Toskas comments on fire service

The conservative opposition has called on Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to condemn comments by his minister for citizens' protection, Nikos Toskas, who on Thursday described the Greek fire service as the "most warped service in the Greek public sector."

"The Greek firemen, [who are] modern day heros in the eyes of Greek society, who have no means to protect themselves and [who rely on] outdated equipment, they save lives, protect properties and the country's natural wealth," New Democracy spokesman Vassilis Kikilias said in a statement Friday.

Responding to a question from Greek Communist Party (KKE) MP Christos Katsotis, Toskas on Thursday accused previous PASOK and New Democracy administrations of using the fire department "like a party mechanism rather than a part of the state machine," also implying that many of its high-ranking officers were appointed without...