European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas called on Greece yesterday to implement more effective ecological measures and expressed concern over whether the government will move ahead with building a park in the Hellenikon area of southern Athens.
In an interview with Kathimerini, Dimas said that Greece is the only EU country that will be required by the United Nations compliance committee for the Kyoto Protocol to explain its poor record on measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
«Problems are not solved with anger and (negative) reactions. What is important is that the measures needed are not being taken,» he said.
«I had been assured that by the end of the year all measures would be taken to satisfy the UN. Unfortunately, even now nothing has been done,» he said.
Last week, Greece's Environment and Public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias rebuffed the criticism by Dimas, stressing that the issue was «a closed case.»
Dimas also accused the ministry of delaying providing information on the heavily polluted Asopos River.
«We have asked for information on the environmental conditions under which businesses are granted permits in the area and to be informed of what is done with the dangerous chemicals handled by the factories. We are still waiting for answers,» he said.
Tests shows that drinking water taken from the Asopos River contains high traces of potentially carcinogenic hexavalent chromium and other chemicals, after years of industrial plants dumping untreated waste in the river.
Turning to government plans to build «Europe's largest metropolitan park» at the old Hellenikon airport, Dimas said he was concerned that it will not built as promised.
«Our experience shows that when an area is partly built and the rest is to be made into a green area, then the rest of the plans do not go ahead,» he said.
«I want it to be a park, a green area, and if possible a forest area, why not? In Athens's case, it needs it.»