All police leave has been cancelled for this weekend ahead of the military parades on Sunday to mark Independence Day.
Authorities plan for security to be particularly tight in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patra to prevent a rerun of events on October 28, when anti-austerity protesters forced the military parade in Thessaloniki to be called off for the first time since the annual tradition began. Dozens of other events around the country where disrupted on the same day.
“Unfortunately, as a country we have managed to turn parades into a major police exercise,” said Deputy Citizens’ Protection Ministers Manolis Othonas.
Syntagma Square in Athens, opposite where the dignitaries’ platform will be located, will be closed to the public.
The anti-terrorist squad and dozens of prosecutors will also be placed on stand-by.
Source: Kathimerini
