Greece has earmarked an extra 25 million euros to improve disabled facilities for the 2004 Athens Olympics and Paralympics. The Greek government made the pledge after a meeting between Prime Minister Costas Simitis and organising committee boss Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki.

It also plans to provide specially equipped buses and taxis, and to encourage hotels to improve facilities. Only a few public buses and no taxis have disabled facilities in Greece.

Government spokesman, Telemachos Hytiris, told journalists efforts would be made to have most of the infrastructure in place by the end of this year, and said the government would like to secure 25 million euros in funding for another four Greek cities where Olympics events will be staged.

Taxis for all

"Every family with a disabled person must be able to call a taxi for its transport," said Hytiris. "This isn't possible today, and I'm ashamed to say it."

He added, however, that accessibility would extend to "museums, archaeological sites and areas of general cultural interest," as well as to the new tram and urban rail networks, which are scheduled for delivery in April and June, respectively. The metro is already fully accessible, while work is under progress on the Kifissia-Piraeus electric railway.

Hytiris also promised that, in a year's time, a new fleet of taxis exclusively catering to the needs of handicapped people will be in operation, along with some 400 new buses and minibuses allowing access to the disabled. And the government will urge most Athens hotels to install facilities for the disabled. The Paralympics will cost Greece 50 million euros.

"The Paralympics will be a litmus test for our culture and our sensitivity," Hytiris said. "For us, they are as important as the Olympics."

Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos said in January that the Acropolis, Athens most famous landmark, will have disabled access for 2004.