Athens Municipality begins a much needed Exarchia ‘makeover’

Athens Municipality tradesmen arrived in Exarchia Square on Thursday, to begin cleaning up the famous anarchist hotspot and to give the neighbourhood a much needed "makeover," which the new government promises will make it more enjoyable for locals and tourists.

Work crews were seen cleaning graffiti, adding new plants, upkeeping existing greenery, replacing bulbs in street lights, repairing electrical damage and replacing paving stones.

Part of the tasks also includes painting benches and posts, washing down the square with a special cleaning fluid, as well as removing large objects that had been left there.

There is also maintenance work being done to a statue that is in the centre square, along with moving dirt and debris from the streets.

Greece’s new government revealed their plans of sprucing up Exarchia after a meeting took place in August, between government officials and Athens Mayor, Kostas Bakoyannis.

The plan is estimated to cost 10 million euros and will take up to five years to complete, promising a complete makeover of the neighbourhood.

The project also includes clearing out squatters and anarchists who have taken over abandoned buildings.

On Monday police emptied out a building at Oktavious Merlie Street in Exarchia, that was housing around 130 illegal migrants for 5 years, with authorities closing off the area for a few hours to conduct the operation.