Prosecutor orders investigation into Attiki Odos over snow failures

The Head of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office Sotiria Papageorgakopoulou has ordered an investigation on Monday into the failures of the Attiki Odos ring road to maintain normal traffic conditions and to establish whether any charges of hindering traffic can be levelled at the managing company.

The Minister for the Environment and Citizen Protection Christos Stylianides in an update on the situation caused by the Elpis weather front stated that the largest difficulties can be found on the Attiki Odos as the managing company failed to maintain normal traffic conditions despite earlier promises that they will take adequate measures to do so.

“I think responsibility must be established. That will be my suggestion to the prime minister,” said Stylianides. He apologized to the drivers who have been stranded on the ring road and stressed that there is a rescue operation under way by a combined force from the police and the fire department. He stated his belief that if the managing company was operating as it should then the difficulties could have been avoided.

The managing company itself has defended itself and suggested that the congestion noticed was also due to immobilized vehicles, both due to mechanical and user failures.

“In the Attiki Odos ring road, that measures 70 kilometers, there are over 35 snowplows or approximately one for every two kilometers and an ample supply of salt. We are sorry for the situation and for the difficulties faced by drivers, while we note that the tolls remain open by decision of the managing company,” said the company in an official release.