Athens 2004 security officials have refused to take delivery of a multi-billion-euro security system, considered the backbone of Greece’s Olympic security umbrella.
Security officials have advised the government that the C41 system, provided by a consortium led by US Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is not satisfactory.
The government is now thinking of accepting the surveillance and coordination equipment without officially taking delivery of it, circumventing security officials misgivings, although reports say it could create more problems than it solves.
Recently government officials were informed that the security system at the Olympic Village where most of the athletes will stay, will not be functioning before July 30 due to electricity supply problems.
Also, government officials and SAIC representatives are understood to be experiencing difficulties in agreeing on how to set up the system in the port of Piraeus, where thousands of officials and visitors are to stay on cruise ships during the Games.
Meanwhile hotel employees were to launch a 24-hour strike Wednesday to back their demands for an increase in their base monthly wage and an Olympic allowance.
But reports say the strike is not expected to spill over to the Games.
Christos Katsotis, president of the Federation of Athens and Piraeus Hotel Employees said Tuesday, “we are prepared to strike during the Games period. We will go on strike again and again if hotel owners do not agree to a deal”.
Meanwhile, International Olympic Committee officials began a two-day inspection visit of Athens Wednesday. It’s one of the last such reviews before the Games start next months.
Also, under an amendment tabled in Parliament Tuesday, August 13 the day of the Games opening ceremony, is to be declared a public holiday.
