ATHENS — Main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance spokesperson Nassos Iliopoulos accused ruling New Democracy's government "of systematically treating citizens and employees as though they are invisible," adding that "this was apparent in the way it managed the cold front Medea".

Speaking on Tuesday evening to Kontra channel about the cold front and the closing of the Athens-Lamia national highway, he said that "the precautionary closure of the motorway before even fighting the battle to keep it open raised many questions, as the company will undoubtedly ask for compensation for the loss of profits from the tolls".

Asked whether the problems in the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator may be linked with the government's intention to privatise HEDNO, Iliopoulos said that it was a classic ploy for governments that want to privatise a public agency to first strip it of staff and infrastructure, so that it becomes discredited in the eyes of the citizens, so that they can then hand it over to the private sector without meeting with resistance from society.