Government takes swipe at new Athens mayor over tree dispute

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis took a swipe at the newly elected mayor of Athens, opposition PASOK-backed Haris Doukas, on Tuesday over his stance towards a dispute concerning a public park in the downtown Athens district of Exarchia, where residents are protesting the removal of trees by the contractor building the capital’s metro extension. 

“Mr Doukas’ statement is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation,” Marinakis told a regular press briefing in Athens, referring to a statement released the previous day by the newly elected mayor, who will not officially assume office until January 1, 2024. 

In that statement, Doukas opposed the work being done at the Exarchia park, saying that “every tree that is cut down deprives us of breath.” He also expressed concern about the clashes that took place between locals protesting the tree-clearing work and riot police earlier in the day, saying that “an environmentally and people-friendly project like the metro should not become an object of conflict.”

“The work will continue as planned,” Marinakis stressed on Tuesday, dismissing concerns about the destruction of the park as a “sudden ache for the trees.”