Greek journalist shot dead by motorcycle gunman

ATHENS — A veteran Greek journalist, George Karaivaz, was shot and killed near his home in Athens on Friday by a gunman who opened fire from a motorcycle.

A hunt for the killers is underway, police said, but they gave no details about a suspected motive for the murder.

Karaivaz was shot just after 2 p.m. in the southern suburb of Alimos as he stood beside his car. According to the television network he was working for, he was returning home after work.

Two people on a motorbike drove up behind Karaivaz and the passenger fired multiple rounds. They then fled the scene.

Karaivaz was a well-known crime reporter who had worked for decades for Greek newspapers and broadcast media and ran his own website, www.bloko.gr.

“The murder of journalist George Karaivaz shocked us all.” said government spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni. “The authorities are already investigating the case in order to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”

While Athens is considered a largely safe city, gangland murders do take place regularly, and the killing of journalists is not unheard of. Sokratis Giolias, an investigative reporter, was gunned down outside his home 11 years ago. His killers were never found.

Opposition lawmakers said the murder of Karaivaz was a sign of increasing criminality in Greece.

“Once again we are witnessing a murder committed in daylight,” Syriza, the main opposition party, said. “[Minister of Civil Protection Michalis] Chrysochoidis, under whose term we have seen an unprecedented outbreak of serious crime, must do the obvious: immediately solve the case and bring the perpetrators to justice.”