Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-04-12

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Gov't OKs CCTV cameras at first division soccer games in response to hooligan violence

[01] Gov't OKs CCTV cameras at first division soccer games in response to hooligan violence

Government spokesman and Minister of State Theodoros Roussopoulos made the announcement following a high-profile inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis himself.

According to Roussopoulos, over the next two months the first venues to be equipped with a closed-circuit monitoring system will be the Athens Olympic Stadium (the home pitch of AEK Athens and Panathinaikos Athens), the Georgios Karaiskaki field (the home pitch of Olympiakos Piraeus) and a handful of other fields that host first division teams.

Rival supporters of Olympiakos and Panathinaikos clashed in broad daylight last month along the main avenue running through small town of Peania, east of Athens proper, leaving behind the one victim, a 25-year-old Panathinaikos supporter, and several others seriously injured.

CCTV systems will be installed at indoor facilities in the autumn to monitor fans during basketball games, Roussopoulos said. He added that electronic tickets listing the bearer's name will be instituted as well.

Roussopoulos emphasised that the government has already made the legal framework to combat hooliganism much stricter, resulting, as he said, in 14 individuals being jailed on related felony charges over the past few months.

Thursday's meeting at the premier's Maximos Mansion office was also attended by the ministers of justice, public order and the deputy culture minister responsible for sports.

Caption: An aerial view, June 2004, of the Athens Olympic Stadium in the northern Athens district of Maroussi. ANA-MPA / ATHOC/ K. VERGAS

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