The debate over the future of Vasilissis Olgas Avenue continues, with the Municipality of Athens and three ministries in open conflict.

The Ministries of Infrastructure, Environment, and Culture have clarified that the municipal council’s decisions to restore traffic “produce no legal effect,” while Mayor Haris Doukas insists he “will not back down,” emphasizing he will defend “citizens’ demand for an open and functional city.”

Amid this tension, Giorgos Giannis, professor at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and director of the Department of Transportation and Traffic Policy, intervened publicly, warning that bringing cars back to Vasilissis Olgas will bring “a serious downgrade to life in Athens’ city center without any real benefit.” Speaking to ERT, he stressed: “It’s obvious that 500 meters of road cannot change the situation in Athens. On the contrary, the area could become an important pedestrian zone linking Dionysiou Areopagitou Street with the archaeological sites network.”

The professor dismissed as unworkable the concept of “mild traffic” put forward by the Municipality, pointing out that the avenue connects two major road arteries: “Traffic will be normal, constantly congested, with zero benefit for vehicles and major harm for pedestrians.”

He also warned that Athens is facing an acute traffic problem, with measurements showing an 11–13% increase in congestion since 2021, and travel times expected to double by 2030. “The solution lies in public transport and pedestrianization. Cars cannot enter the center of Athens; instead, pedestrian zones must multiply,” he noted.

Furthermore, he emphasized that around Vasilissis Olgas there are already seven metro stations and 56 bus routes, making it one of the most accessible areas of the city by public transport. “Olga Avenue should be a pedestrian street in its entirety, with no car traffic or even tram service,” he concluded.