Papandreou Released; Moves Against Church

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31366, 11 May 1967, Page 13

Papandreou Released; Moves Against Church

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

ATHENS, May 10.

Greece’s military Government last night ordered the release of the veteran politician, Mr George Papandreou, and three other detained political leaders.

The Minister of Interior, Brigadier Stylianos Patakos, also announced that a committee would start today to screen 6138 political prisoners rounded up during the Army take-over on April 21.

“Half of these prisoners will be released within 10 days,” Brigadier Patakos said. Brigadier Patakos also ordered the release of two former Ministers, Mr Constantine Mitsotakis and General Katsotas, as well as a journalist, Dimitrios Pournaras.

“For their own protection, they will be under surveillance in their houses for some time,” the Minister said.

The Interior Minister said he had visited the island of Yaros, where 5903 men and 235 women were detained for security reasons. He said they lived under good conditions and “I got the impression that for half of them there is no more need to be detained.” Most Housed

He said that most of the detainees on the island lived in tents and other buildings which, however, needed repairs. He said a first aid station with 10 doctors had been set up and that food for the

prisoners included meat, eggs, fish, and stewed fruit.

There are still six politicians of the Union of the Centre party under arrest, including Mr Andreas Papandreou, son of the former Prime Minister. In another development last night, the new Government announced radical changes in civil administration to put an end to political patronage, the Associated Press reported. It also gave itself the power to elect new bishops to vacant dioceses in the Greek Orthodox Church. Three Candidates

The Prime Minister, Mr Constantine Kolias, said the Cabinet had drafted three compulsory laws ending the services of the board of directors of the State-controlled Electric, Telecommunications and Social Insurance organisation, the National Tourist Board and the National Broadcasting Institute which controls the nation’s radio broadcasting. He said the Orthodox Church of Greece would no longer have the right to fill

vacant dioceses. Although an honorary Holy Synod will choose three candidates for each vacant diocese, the Government will make the final decision.

In another move, the Government made it mandatory for all clerical members of the Church to retire at the age of 80. This automatically makes retired the 86-year-old Primate of Greece, Archbishop Chrysostomos.