In a statement issued by the Municipality of Athens, it refers to the drug problem in the city center, it describes the government’s planning “general references”, while calling for no other structures in downtown Athens, but to have decentralization and balanced distribution of public structures.

“The Municipality of Athens has repeatedly asked the government to solve the issue of trafficking and use of drugs in downtown Athens. We have even submitted our own detailed proposals, with the Drugs Action Plan, voted by our Municipal Council on 26/2/2025, “he said first and then stresses:

“The Municipality maintains a user of users (in collaboration with EOPAE), while through” ATHENS HEALTH “it is proceeding with prevention and information programs against the use of drugs. We have also purchased two mobile units for supervised spaces.

The image of the hundreds of suffering and abandoned users, especially around Agios Ierotheos Street, Agios Paul, America, Klafthonos, Karaiskakis, Koumoundourou, Kanigos and the University of Athens, is a dear of Athens.

In addition, there are serious problems for locals, who have led to intense protests and mobilizations. It is a health bomb that should not “burst” and create a serious problem all over Athens.

The government today presented its planning for a holistic – as it states – intervention in the problem. We note that this is a plan with general references, from which serious questions arise.

For example, while announcing the creation of new day centers and users, as well as safe shelter structures (where it is also safe), where they will be determined. The issue of extremely serious as the center of Athens is highly overwhelmed, with two open EOPAE structures and one of the Municipality of Athens operating in the area. That is why the city center can in no way “lift” new support structures.

Central targeting, on the other hand, should be decentralization and balanced distribution of public structures.

In addition, the government’s plan mainly includes a medium-term targets, which does not provide answers to the pressing questions of the inhabitants of the difficult areas of the city. “

Concluding that “these were the reasons why the Municipality of Athens did not attend today’s government press conference” and notes: “Despite its serious reservations, the Municipality of Athens will closely monitor the implementation of the plan, supporting any measures that contributes to it.