Regional Authority of the Southern Aegean

People tend to feel safe from outside influences when they're surrounded by water. But the arrival on Greece's islands over the past few days of local students and workers returning from other parts of the country and mainlanders self-isolating in their holiday homes is making the islanders jittery.

The Regional Authority of the Southern Aegean, the Soft Energy Applications Laboratory, the Center for Technological Research in Piraeus and the University of West Attica on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at the creation of a roadmap for the transformation of 10 remote Aegean islands into "smart islands" via state-of-the-art networking technology.

A Greek regional authority said it is suspending all cooperation with one of the country's banks after the lender announced the closure of its branches on three islands.

Earlier this week, Alpha Bank announced it would cease operations at its branches on the islands of Tilos, Leipsoi and Kassos on September 14. The closures would leave the remote islands without a bank.

The Regional Authority of the Southern Aegean said on Thursday it is suspending the cooperation agreements it has with Alpha Bank.

The region said the decision came after the bank announced on Tuesday it will be closing its branches on the islands of Tilos, Lipsoi and Kassos on September 14.

The decision will leave the remote islands without a bank.

The authorities are expected to impose a two-month price cap on fuel prices in the southern Aegean islands where unleaded gasoline has soared to almost 2 euros per liter.

The Regional Authority of the Southern Aegean has sent a letter to the Economy and Development Ministry asking for a price cap on fuel prices that have seen gasoline soar to almost 2 euros per liter.

On the Cyclades islands the average price comes to 1.881 euros/lt at gas stations, while motorists on Santorini are already paying 1.995 euros/lt at the pumps.