It seems that there’s a last-minute surge in ticket sales for next month’s Games. ATHOC ticketing director Stephanos Kakarantzas told a private radio station that last month there were 3,500 tickets sold a day and now “we’ve reached 13,000″. Kakarantzas said 2.5 million tickets out of the 5.3 million issued remain unsold.
A special forces battalion trained to defend against weapons of mass destruction has begun deployment in Greece, according to a statement issued Thursday. Greece also has assurances that the alliance will assist in air and sea patrols and will command several U.S. special forces units that will be on standby during the Games in case of a terrorist attack. The operation known as Distinguished Games, is the first major mission of NATO’s new Multinational Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear ask Force. The battalion expects to have a task force of troops, vehicles and equipment from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Spain at its base in the northern Greek beach resort of Halkida by August 1. The team is not a fighting unit, but a specialized group that helps protect civilians and public and military installations against weapons of mass destruction or leaks from chemical factories and refineries.
Dozens of Greek Navy vessels have started patrolling the country’s coastal waters as part of a two-layer security zone to protect the Games. At least 35 Greek ships are monitoring the Ionian Sea along Greece’s west coast, the Aegean Sea and areas off the costs of Crete and the resort Cyclades Islands. A Navy source told The Associated Press that the ships are checking “any ships with suspicious behaviour”. The inspections will increase as the Games approach, said the source. About 10 Navy helicopters and two military patrol aircraft are assisting the ships. More than 200 naval commandos are stationed at seaside Olympic venues. Off the port of Piraeus, about six miles south of central Athens, a frigate with about 200 sailors will watch over at least eight cruise ships that will serve as floating hotels for heads of state and other dignitaries. The first of the cruise ships is expected next week.
A commission of inquiry into the blackout that hit Athens July 12 found that it was caused by a sequence of unfortunate events. The report, released Wednesday, said heavy air conditioner use had strained the system, many parts of which were being revamped at the time. Also, frantic work on Olympic-related projects meant there were not enough repair crews to attend to faults. The commission cast blame on both the state-run Public Power Corporation and the state body which is responsible for the distribution of power, (DESMIE). Development Minister Dimitris, who presented the report to Greece’s Prime Minister and Parliament, stressed that Greece will have a sufficient power supply during the Games and beyond. The report found that the blackout could have been avoided had the Public Power Corporation upgraded its supply system earlier and if the DESMIE had worked more quickly to cut off supplies to certain areas and so prevent the collapse of the country’s southern system.
And finally, only taxi cabs bearing the sign “Olympic Taxi” will be allowed to approach Olympic venues during the Games to pick up or drop off passengers, according to a decision signed Wednesday. All of the 8,500 taxis, made available by the Attica Taxi Owners’ Association, will have to meet strict specifications such as air conditioning at all times and cleanliness inside and out. An extra three euros in addition to the regular fare will be charged as well as any surcharges such as airport or baggage fees. The surcharge applies between August 13 and 29 and again during the Paralympic Games from September 19 to 29.
