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Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-02-24
CONTENTS
[01] Gov't on prisons problem
[01] Gov't on prisons problem
The government on Tuesday defended the latest set of urgent measures
aimed to prevent another spectacular escape from one of the country's
prisons as well as to combat organised crime in general, days after a
pair of notorious convicts again used a helicopter to fly away from
Greece's main penitentiary.
In defending one of the measures, namely, banning the use of anonymous
pre-paid mobile phones -- estimated as a few million in Greece --
government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros said the telephone
confidentiality is still adhered to. Nevertheless, he said that
requiring the listing of an owner's particulars even for a pre-paid
connection is implemented in several European countries, such as
Germany, France, Spain, Slovakia and Hungary.
"I am surprised by the fact that some people, whom I do not want to
name, are putting corporate interests above the public good and above
citizens' security and that of the country," Antonaros said in response
to press questions during his daily briefing.
The spokesman dismissed criticism that banning anonymous pre-paid
mobile phones and connections infringe on human and civil rights,
"law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear, only those that are
considering or have committed criminal acts."
In a more general comment, Antonaros said the "deja vu" airborne prison
break by the criminal duo of Paleokostas-Rizaj "was made possible due
to the corroded system, demonstrating that other measures are
necessary, and that is what we are doing."
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