ATHENS — Opposition Movement for Change (KINAL) on Tuesday accused the government of negligence regarding the situation with the pandemic in Thessaloniki and the lockdown that was imposed on the city on the same day.

"The decision to increase the staff and services on public transport was taken with a delay, when the government was aware of the huge transport problem facing Thessaloniki," the party said in a statement.

In addition, KINAL blamed the government for not taking action and allowing the celebration of St. Demetrius, the city's patron saint, to take place normally, with hundreds of citizens in the church and priests not wearing masks.

Regarding the state of the national health system, KINAL said that it was fighting a heroic but unequal battle on the front line, to keep Thessaloniki and the whole of Greece standing.

"But this is not enough anymore. What is required and what we are proposing is integrated national planning, in which all the health resources of the public and private sector are included. So that there can be central coordination with transfers and the strengthening of areas where the health infrastructure is insufficient to cope with cases. A task force is needed that will supervise, record the conditions and utilise every available resource," it added.