Capitals

As we wait for Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis to reveal the details of his plan to revamp the city center, including the creation of an extensive pedestrian network, the recent overhaul of Omonia Square appears to be but a small taste of what's to come - an appetizer, let's say.

Athens' downtown Omonia Square will open to the public on Thursday after months of renovations that were part of an ambitious revamp of one of the capital's busiest areas.

Work on the square was completed a while back but due to the coronavirus lockdown it had remained closed.

A demolition order for about 450 buildings inside the mixed-use development of the former Athens airport at Elliniko was published in the government gazette on Wednesday, opening the way for work to begin at the site.

A 12-year-old boy was injured when his bicycle was hit by a passing car in the city of Naousa, central Macedonia.

The incident took place on Tuesday night, according to state-run news agency ANA-MPA. The boy was transferred to the Ippokratio Hospital in Thessaloniki for treatment, although it was not clear what his injuries were.

Local police is investigating the incident. 

US real estate investment group Hines is showing no intention of suspending its ever expanding investment program in the Greek property market despite the upcoming recession, according to the head of Hines Greece, Paul Gomopoulos.
He told a recent Prodexpo video conference that "we will just adapt to conditions, which may even create new investment opportunities."

The much-beleaguered attempt to free up more public space in the downtown Athens area has come back to the fore at a particularly auspicious time. 

A 52-year-old man is accused of instigating clashes between police and partygoers in the downtown Athens district of Kypseli in the early hours of Saturday by calling the 100 emergency number and claiming he had been mugged at knifepoint.

Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis on Monday unveiled a proposal for an extended pedestrian network in the center of the capital, dubbed "The Grand Walk."

The proposal was presented to Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos amid government plans to support cafes and restaurants which have been seriously hit by the coronavirus outbreak by allowing them extra space for outdoor seating.

People dance to the tune of a clarinet during a protest by musicians, actors and art workers outside Parliament in central Athens Thursday to demand more support for the culture sector, which has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. A similar protest took place in the northern port city of Thessaloniki.

One of the largest anti-graffiti campaigns in recent years has been under way in the historical center of Athens since last week.