Athens: Best security ever

2003-10-16 17:21

Athens, Greece - Greek security preparations for the 2004 Games will be without precedent in Olympic history both in scale and price, organisers said on Thursday, adding however that the festive atmosphere of the event will be maintained.

"Our strategic decision, from the first minute, was to highlight the celebratory character of the games and not have them look like a military zone," said Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, head of the Athens Organizing Committee.

Making a formal presentation of the security plan for the Aug. 13-29 Olympics, Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and the Greek police leadership said providing "absolute security" without hampering athletes, officials and spectators was not easy.

"Greece is facing one of the biggest challenges in its history," Public Order Minister Giorgos Floridis said.

The security blueprint, in its final planning stages, has increased by 25 percent to at least $755 million - a sum officials said could grow even more as the Olympics approach. The government and organizers have budgeted $7.5 billion overall for the Olympics.

New threats

Greece had originally planned to spend $600 million on security, but new threats following the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq complicated planning.

"In the face of these demands, our budget is the biggest ever and far surpasses previous Olympic Games," Floridis said. "It is a dynamic amount. We have budgeted $755 million at least, but you can't rule out more."

He said facing new threats from terrorist groups that may decide to strike at the Olympics was a variable that could not be factored into a budget.

"It's worth it. We are hosting the young people of the world," Floridis said.

There have been concerns that Greece's security plans may not be ready in time because of delays in signing a contract for the necessary equipment - an agreement that was sealed just last May.

Police officials said they were confident the equipment would be in place and officers trained in its use by July 1.

- AP