With special machines and crews, the municipality of Athens cleans the center of the capital every week, usually on weekends. As the mayor emphasizes Harry Doukas in SKAI “we have a lot of tourism and we try to keep public spaces clean”.

For the complaints how the trash cans are overflowing Athens, Mr. Doukas replies that “the truth is that a very big effort is being made. The numbers they show we are 25% down in requests than 3 years ago. We do 8 programs a day in the center of Athens, i.e. 8 times a day the garbage trucks come to collect the garbage. This means every 3 hours the bins are filled during the day.”

The mayor of Athens emphasizes that “nothing similar is happening in any other capital. There are many hotels, many restaurants. Garbage collection in other capitals is once a day. So every 3 hours the bins are full and the garbage trucks go to great lengths to deal with them. Athens at the moment is the number 1 destination and we are fighting a very big battle, with new systems and new technologies».

Mr. Doukas pointed out that the appointment program with the garbage trucks has also started in 3 neighborhoods in Athens, Koukaki, Exarchia, Mets and an effort is being made to expand it throughout the city. “Great efforts are being made, we are constantly improving. Requests are captured. The most difficult months are June, May, June and September, because they are the months where we have a lot of tourism,” he noted.

Mr. Doukas also referred to complaints about the stench in the center and especially in Omoniasaying “yes, it’s toxic. There are drug-addicted fellow citizens. Especially in the summer months because of the incredible heat things are very difficult. The problem in Athens is well known. But we must have made a detailed record. OR homelessness in Athens is currently a little over 1,000 people and there is also a large part of drug addicts. And in these cases we have the Homeless Center. Of course, these people also want dignity, but so do the neighborhoods. And that’s why we try to have them in specific places, in specific structures of ours.” Asked about closure of the hostel for users of toxic substanceshe replied that people transferred to other structures.

Regarding the precautionary measures against the heat, the mayor of Athens emphasized that: “Hospitality areas will be opened. We will also have drones continuously, 24 hours a day, so that they can monitor in case there is any sign of fire or extreme temperature, so that we can intervene. And of course we keep giving water.”