Public transport free in Athens from Tuesday

Public transport in the Greek capital will be free from tomorrow to alleviate difficulties caused to citizens by the closure of banks, the Greek Minister of Transport, Christos Spircis, stated today, reports the Patria News Agency.

- Local residents and tourists will be able to use buses, the metro, and trams in Athens for free as soon as the decision is officially announced, most likely from tomorrow, said Spircis.

The decision does not apply to Thessaloniki and other Greek cities where transport is managed by private carriers. Banks and the stock exchange have been closed in Greece since today, with a daily limit of 60 euros for ATM withdrawals.

Banks were closed after Greeks withdrew large sums of money from them over the weekend, following Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's decision to call a referendum for July 5, in which citizens are to vote on whether they are for or against accepting the demands of international creditors.