The plan for the 3rd phase of the reconstruction and regeneration of North Evia was presented today at a meeting under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximou Mansion.
Specifically, during the meeting, the head of the special committee Stavros Benos presented the plan for the preparation of fourteen studies, which concern the overall reconstruction of the area, will not cost the Greek State but are funded by sponsors and will be ready in September 2022.
«The plan we will present today complements all the relief initiatives already underway. And I believe that only credulous critics would not recognize that the Greek state has moved very quickly in terms of compensation through the framework of state assistance,» Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during his introductory remarks at the meeting.
The Prime Minister also noted that this is a «very specific and structured plan for the total reconstruction of North Evia», which «will be a model for a new way of understanding holistic development, using the institution of integrated spatial investments, so that all the initiatives we undertake are part of a specific plan that can exploit the comparative advantages of each region, and first and foremost give hope to the people who are the main beneficiaries of the development of the region.
Mitsotakis also made a special reference to the role of the sponsors who finance the studies of the project and who were present at the presentation, estimating that «we have gathered the “National Greece” here. The National Greece at the level of donors, at the level of scholars. And what we want to do in North Evia is both ambitious but at the same time completely feasible».
Mr. Mitsotakis particularly emphasized the good cooperation between the Deputy Minister of State for State Relief and Natural Disaster Rehabilitation Christos Triantaopoulos, the Ministry of Environment, the Region and the municipalities, which, he said, «has launched with unprecedented speed -at least for Greek standards- the basic erosion and flood control works, so that we can be sure that we are as protected as possible from potential flooding phenomena.».
What is the plan
The fourteen studies of the plan concern the overall reconstruction of the area, and will not cost the Greek State since they are financed by donors. The studies will be ready in September 2022.
These studies are:
- «Development of a comprehensive Master Plan for the reconstruction of North Evia».
«Preparation of a study of an integrated development strategic plan for the “New Forest”, entitled “Master Plan for the New Forest”.
«Preparation of a study for the creation of an innovation area in the context of the reconstruction of North Evia».
«Preparation of studies for the Digital Wave and the Green Belt in the context of the reconstruction of North Evia».
«Preparation of a study of an integrated strategic development plan for culture».
«Strategic infrastructure study of Evia».
«Study for the implementation of the reconstruction of the agri-food sector of North Evia».
«Study on the social networks of North Evia».
«Study on the human (population/demographic) potential of North Evia».
«Strategic Marketing Plan for the promotion of the wider region of North Evia».
«Inventory of successful international practices in the field of recovery of tourist destinations after natural disasters (benchmarking report)».
«Preparation of the Special Urban Plan of the Municipality of Istria-Aidipsos».
«Development of the Special Urban Plan of the Municipality of Mantoudi - Limni - Agia Anna‘.
«Accompanying Specification Study of the Comprehensive Master Plan», between the Association «DIAZOMA».
The projects foreseen in the studies will, for the most part, be financed by the NSRF.
The first projects/«Photographers», a reform guide for the rest of Greece - St. Benos: Visionary plan for the homeland
«I have never been confronted with such a visionary plan for our country, which springs - and this is its value - from a natural disaster,» Mr.Benos said. Referring to the «Photographers» projects included in the 3rd phase of reconstruction and regeneration of the fire-affected areas.
«What we have dreamed of as intervention, as action and above all as reform, I will show you later, through the famous “Lightbringers”, which we will begin to see from the spring onwards - I call them “Lightbringers” because they will illuminate the region operationally, above all, spiritually, the people, they will give them images of their future. So these “Lightbringers” I want them to be the reforming field of rebirth, not only of North Evia but also of the country.».
The Prime Minister stressed that «this is essentially a workshop of new public policies concerning regional policy and productive reconstruction. If we succeed - and we will succeed - in putting this project into practice, you understand that completely new horizons are opening up for its theoretical dissemination throughout the country.».
Closing the meeting, Mitsotakis commented on the proposal of Mr. «If I have learned anything, Stavros, from this experience, and I think we have given very successful examples in the field of digital governance, is that the right planning, the right distribution of responsibilities, the concentration of responsibilities for digital governance, databases and procedures in the same ministry was, in the end, the key to being able to very quickly unfold a digital transformation program that benefits all citizens, at least those services that can.
The Prime Minister added that «there is another point of view where physical contact is required, which is much more important in the periphery, so I will follow with great interest this project of the new KEPs. Besides, the team of the Ministry of Administrative Reform and the Ministry of Interior are all old acquaintances of mine and I have a personal opinion on how we can strengthen this institution.’.
Mr Mitsotakis said that the first consultation will take place in Istria on 10-12 December, and stressed that he himself will participate. «I will make sure that I will be there. Because I think that the residents are well aware that our interest is not limited to visits of a communicative nature. And the hours, the days of work that have been put in to be able to be at that point on my part, I think are reflected in the final results. And because we are all judged by this, I believe that we will win this big bet here as well,» Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
Who participated in the meeting
The meeting was attended by the Minister of State Akis Skertsos, the Deputy Minister of State for Environmental Protection George Amyras, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food and MP for Evia Simos Kedikoglou, the Deputy Minister of State for State Relief and Rehabilitation from Natural Disasters Christos Triantaopoulos, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesman Yiannis Economou, the Members of Parliament of Evia of the Southwestern Democratic Party Thanasis Zembilis and Spyros Pneimatikos, the Regional Governor of Central Greece Fanis Spanos, the Mayor of Edipsos-Istiaia Giannis Kontzias, the Mayor of Limni-Mantoudiou-Ag. Anna George Tsapourniotis, the advisor to the Prime Minister Professor Grigoris Varras, the President of the Chamber of Euboea Yannis Gerontitis, the deputy of the Chairman of the Reconstruction Committee V. Yannis Zirinis, the coordinator of the Maturation of Projects and Actions of the Programme Evdokimos Fregogoglou, the legal advisor of the Programme Sotiris Foteas and the coordinator of the Study Groups of the Programme Vereniki Vassiliadis.
Sponsoring Companies and Institutions
From the sponsoring companies and institutions participated, the representative of the company «Mili» - Master Plan for Neos Dasos Elias Apostolidis, the president of the Greek Chamber of Hotels Alexandros Vassilikos, the general manager - Marketing Greece Maria Gatsou, from Toposophy - Study of a new tourist identity for North Greece. Evia Dimitris Georgiou, the consultant for the Special Urban Plans Vassilis Gomisis, the CEO of Athenian Brewery Alexandros Daniilidis, the President of the Bodossaki Foundation Athina Desypri, for ETAM S.A. Nikos Draconakis, for Dromos Consulting Kostas Zekkos, the Head of Corporate Affairs of ELPEN S.A.Ε. Konstantinos Ioannidis, the representative of the Pavlos & Alexandra Kanellopoulou Foundation Alexandra Papalexopoulou, the Managing Director - Interamerican Group Yannis Kantoros, the General Manager of the ”Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulou” Foundation Xenophontas Kappas, the representative of the OTE Group Marina Kataropoulou, the President of the ”Aikaterini Laskaridis” Foundation Panos Laskaridis, the General Director of the Latsis Foundation Eva Lianou, the General Manager of ElvaHalcor Panagiotis Lolos, the General Manager of the Zara Hellas Group Elias Malamas, the President of the National Bank Pavlos Mylonas.
Also, the person responsible for the Scientific Supervision of the Study for the Special Urban Plans Dimitris Economou, the coordinator of all the Funding Programmes Elisavet Preza, the coordinator of the Study for Green Growth, Digital Wave, Innovation Space Angelos Tsakanikas, the coordinator of the Study Group of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Education, participated. Study for Green Growth, Digital Wave, Innovation Area Prodromos Tsiavos, the designer for Special Urban Plans Stelios Tsakiris and from InterEOSIS the general director Dionysis Nikolaou, the director of Content Thodoris Georgakopoulos, the coordinator of the Study Group Fay Makantasi, the responsible for the Study for the human resources of ”B. Evia: We live in our place” George Petrakos and Mary Belogianni.
Here are the full statements of Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Benos:
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Good afternoon. This is the first time, Stavros, that we have so many people in the Maximus building and I think that in itself says something about the scope of the initiative that we will have the opportunity to present today.
A little over 12 weeks after the devastating fires and I believe, in spite of those who were grumbling and believed that what we had talked about back then - when we first met with Stavros - was just a science fiction scenario, we are here today to present a very concrete and coherent plan for the total reconstruction of northern Evia.
I want to thank not only the Cross but also all of you, the sponsors first and foremost, who have been very generous in funding the studies that you will talk to us about next. I really believe that we have brought together the «National Hellenic» here. The National Greece at the level of donors, at the level of scholars. And what we want to do in northern Evia is both ambitious and at the same time absolutely feasible.
I hope that it will be a model for a new way of understanding holistic development, using the institution of integrated spatial investment, so that all the initiatives we undertake are part of a concrete plan that can exploit the comparative advantages of each region, and first and foremost give hope to the people who have been tested in northern Evia that it is worth staying in their place and that their children will have a better future than they did.
The plan we will present today complements all the relief initiatives already underway. And I believe that only our malicious critics would not recognize that the Greek state has moved very quickly in terms of compensation through the framework of state aid. I would like to thank Christos Triandopoulos for all the work he has done and of course the Ministry of the Environment which, in consultation with the Region and the Municipalities, has initiated with unprecedented speed - at least for Greek standards - the basic erosion control and flood protection works, so that we can be sure that we are as protected as possible from possible flooding phenomena.
This is about relief and temporary protection, as we have said, but what we will talk about in a moment is about the future and I look forward with great interest to hearing the presentation. I have gone through the relevant material, but I am very pleased, I would say excited, that we have been able in such a short time to bring together so many different bodies and with the active participation of private initiative to have a comprehensive and thorough study programme which we can then implement.
Stavros Benos: President, I am very moved today. Last time I told you that I had never been given a more honourable invitation. Now I will tell you that I have never been confronted with such a visionary project for our country, which springs - and that is its merit - from a natural disaster.
The secret of today's meeting is something that I have been passionately serving since my first steps in public life and which is so dramatically lacking in our country: a magic word, synergies. Today, President, it is the anthem of the garages. We are all here today. It is the institutions first and foremost, the local institutions, which I believe so much in, in Fanny, George and John. That is the Regional Governor and the two Mayors, the Members of Parliament all.
We've met too many times, but with us what a nice word the Greek national team, yes. The flower of entrepreneurship and the sponsorship movement, the foundations of our country. But I'm proud to say that my volunteers are here. Volunteers, President, you should know that not a single euro will be raised by the state from «Diasma», everything will be a contribution.
So the volunteers are here too. I would just like to make an honorary mention and raise Sotiris Fotas. Sotiris, you have moved me, a volunteer lawyer, he has done such groundbreaking contracts because they are one-size-fits-all, Chairman. His dad was this historic person, Panagiotis Foteas.
Well, today, I want to make a promise to you, President, and to all of you: that we will overcome ourselves. That is, beyond what we both promised the Greek people, to give them a holistic and people-centered program, I propose to you - and you will see it later - that we spread all the dreams of our country in northern Evia.
Whatever we have dreamed of as intervention, as action and above all as reform, what I will show you next, through the famous «Photographers» -which we will start to see from the spring onwards- I call them «Photographers» because? They will enlighten operationally, above all, spiritually the region, the people, they will give them images of their future.
So, these «Photodotes» I want them to be the reforming field of regeneration, not only of northern Evia but also of the country. I remember, this is what you asked me to do and this is what I am ready with a lot of drive and a lot of spirit, with all this great company we have here today, to make it happen together.
Mr Mitsotakis: Thank you very much, Stavros. A very great job has been done in a very short time. Some concluding remarks from me. In addition to the great work that all this effort marks, for northern Evia it is essentially a laboratory for new public policies relating to regional policy and productive reconstruction. If we succeed - and we will succeed - in putting this project into practice, you will understand that completely new horizons are opening up for its theoretical dissemination throughout the country.
To make this plan a reality requires us to work in a different way from what we have been doing so far. And, as you know, the biggest problem always in the implementation of public policies - Stavros knows this much better than I do - is the various silos and the ownership of the portfolio of each ministry, each directorate, each organisation. And what makes me particularly happy is that what I see here today is an energy that stems from the possibility of cooperation between many different actors of the state in all its manifestations, local government, the private sector, those who will prepare the studies, the donors, the foundations, and that is what makes this whole effort extremely exciting.
But we are not missing the point of the initiative. The initiative comes in response to people who have been tested. And they are still being tested today. And they will need to face the future with optimism over and above the compensation that covers their current needs. That is why I believe the assistance of our local government and our parliamentarians is so important.
I want to thank Fanis, the mayors, our deputies, because it is very important not to approach this effort through any kind of proprietary or petty party logic.
We are going to do something different from what we have done so far. And what we are going to do, in our debate and in the consultation that we are doing, is becoming more and more ambitious. And that's not necessarily a bad thing as long as we've ensured good project management which I think we have to a very large extent. And as long as we have access to the important financial instruments because there are funders.
In the three concentric circles - as you presented - with the first and most important, obviously, the regional programmes of the new NSRF. From my side - Stavros knows this - there will be all the support needed - especially for those initiatives that go beyond the remit of the region and local government - for example: How will we deal, ultimately, and what will be the proposal of our very distinguished consultant on the issue of the road; this is very likely to be a project that the Ministry will have to take on because of both its importance and its size.
Beyond that, on the Government side we have all embraced it, the Deputy Ministers, the Minister of State and the Government Secretariat team, recognising the dual importance of the project. Its importance, obviously, first and foremost for northern Evia, but also the possibility of implementing a new model. We will test public policies that we can then implement throughout the country.
For example: the issue of the CCP, I had discussed it with Stavros since my time in the Ministry of Administrative Reform. And if I learned anything from this experience, Stavros, and I think we have given very successful examples of writing in the field of digital governance, it is that the right planning, the right distribution of responsibilities, the concentration of responsibilities in the same Ministry for digital governance, databases and procedures was, in the end, the key to being able to very quickly roll out a digital transformation program that benefits all citizens, at least those services that can be regulated through the digital government, and that can be regulated through the digital government.
But there is another point of view where physical contact is needed, which is much more important in the periphery, so I will be following this project of the new CCPs with great interest. After all, the team of the Ministry of Administrative Reform and the Ministry of Interior are all old acquaintances of mine and I have a personal view on how we can strengthen this institution.
I want to thank you again, all of you, for being here today. I would like to congratulate you and I would like to make an appointment to participate in the first consultation that we are going to have in Istria - if I have seen correctly - so it is not 10 or 12 December, so I will make sure that I am there. Because I think that the residents will be well aware that our interest is not limited to visits of a communicative nature. And the hours, the days, of work that have been put in to enable us to be at this point on my part, I think are reflected in the final results, and because we are all judged by this, I believe that here too we will win this big bet.
Thank you, very much
