A bomb scare that shut down a busy neighborhood in central Athens has ended after a police explosives unit determined a suspicious package left outside a bank was harmless garbage.
Authorities cordoned off Eftychidou Street in the Pangrati district shortly after midnight following reports of an unattended bag placed in front of an ATM.
The discovery triggered an immediate mobilization of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (TEEM).
Police diverted traffic between Astydamantos and Spyrou Merkouri streets, sealing off the area as specialists approached the object.
Following a controlled inspection, officers confirmed the bag contained only refuse and posed no threat.
The security cordon was lifted, and traffic flow was restored to the area before dawn.
While the incident proved to be a false alarm, Athens police remain on high alert regarding unattended packages near financial institutions, which have frequently been targets for small-scale arson and explosive attacks by anarchist groups in the past.