ATHENS — The traffic restrictions in central Athens – aka the "traffic ring" – will go into effect again on October 25, Infrastructure & Transport Minister Costas Karamanlis said on Friday.

Speaking to Real FM 97, Karamanlis called the traffic ring (daktylios), which is suspended during the summer months, a "clean ring". As he explained, the only exception to allowing cars based on odd/even license plates will be electric cars. There will be no more exceptions, he insisted, noting, "Up to now, there are too many cars that are exempted from the ring" and allowed to circulate. "This will end. The only cars to be exempted will be electric cars, that's why we have named it 'clean ring'," he said of the system that was introduced to curb pollution and congestion in the capital.

These he said were the immediate measures in a plan with medium-term and long-term regulations.

He also said the ministry was reviewing the ring's geographical limits, possibly to expand them. The second issue the ministry is reviewing is the hours allowing deliveries to stores downtown.

Asked about the new Line 4 of the Athens metro under construction, he said that "the largest public project in Greece at this time" has already begun. The three stations extending the line in Piraeus will be ready by summer, he said, but the entire project will take seven years.