On Tuesday afternoon, 8 March, a conference call was held to discuss the meeting of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Kythera. At the meeting, in addition to the absent councillors the Mayor of Kythera did not participate κ. Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis. During the briefing stage at the meeting the climate was dynamited by the sharp intervention of the head of the major opposition Mr. Magoulas, who made a a number of complaints about public works being carried out without the legal procedures and authorisations. (The video of the Board is provided at the end of the text)
Firstly, Mr. Magoulas accused the Municipal Authority for downgrading the role of the City Council, since serious issues are now discussed in the Economic Committee, suggesting that this is a matter of political decision. He then accused the absent from the meeting Mr. a cover-up in the matter of the execution of public works from the municipality, saying that the latter had prevented him from discussing such matters in public. On the occasion of this report, Mr. Magoulas addressed to the councillors saying that they are all co-responsible for what happens in the municipality. More specifically, he referred to projects performed without the necessary authorisations and procedures, such as the Primary School of Chora and the Chora Veterinary Hospital of Chora, and extended to other earlier projects such as the Capsule lighting, the sports center in Manitochori, the wall at the Kapsali bends etc. He made specific reference to the dismantling of hazardous asbestos material at the Primary School of Chora, without the procedures foreseen for the protection of pupils. Finally, he called on them to respect and comply with the law.
Mr. Magoulas' statement to the City Council was as follows:
«Two days ago we had a finance committee, I didn't participate with a political point of view, where some important things were discussed such as some approval of a notice of terms of tender for the project for the River City School, for the 5X5 and 11X11 fields in River and Frilingianika and my question is how can the city council, which is the highest body, come to meet two days later and have six issues, including an application for a certificate, the place where the stray dogs will be fed and no serious issues that now bypass the city council and we run it through the finance committee. To me at least, that offends me as an elected official and I think it's a political decision and that you all, the city government, are co-responsible in these decisions. And following on from that I want to let you know the following and it is the most serious.
At the last City Council I dared to ask whether some projects carried out by the Municipality of Kythera have the necessary building permits. Whether these projects are legal, whether they are being carried out in accordance with the legal procedures and I have asked you to inform me. I didn't get an answer at the last City Council. Two days later we had a Finance Committee. So the Mayor, and he's not here because he knew we were going to have this conflict, he wagged his finger at me. And I would like to inform you all, and to tell you something else, from today onwards, you, the majority councillors, are also responsible. Because I was summoned, and Mr. Trifillis was there, and he told me that such serious issues if you ask about building permits you cannot go out and discuss them in public.. And I ask you. You are all partly responsible for this. So should I have to ask the legal question behind closed doors?; So if a project is legal and if it is being carried out is it so bad to ask? And did anyone tell you that I was elected along with you and the Mayor and that I have to follow the violin that he is going to play? You are very much mistaken. You are also very, very responsible, all of you. And I'll tell you why. The Primary School of Chora Kythira is executed without a building permit. Implemented by without the approvals of the Archaeology, the Council of Architecture, the Ephorate of Modern. Without plans. And you know how it's executed?; As an earthquake victim. The Municipality of Kythera spends €200,000 on a building and has a project as an earthquake project, without the building permit. So you are now all jointly responsible from today. And do you know why? Because asbestos was removed during the dismantling operations. And this asbestos, there are photographs, was exposed next to the children going to school. Anyone who doesn't know what broken asbestos means can go online very easily and find out. You are frivolous and the works you are doing are frivolous and they are illegal. And do you know why they are illegal? Because you're repairing the veterinary clinic in the mainland. And you know you don't have a building permit there either?; To tell you the most terrible thing? Do you want to hear it?; You didn't issue a building permit because it's not municipal property. You are carrying out a project, you have tendered a project, in a building that the City does not own. As common trespassers you have entered a building and are repairing it without a building permit because you have no title deeds. Εequal to illegal. And now you are all jointly responsible. No echetε ecimise that you have an opposition that does not want to resort to denunciations, hasn't learned to operate like that. Και coonyou were the finger with your leader who is absent, but should be present today. You wagged your finger at me for daring to ask whether the law is being observed. Which law exactly are you obeying, pray tell?; On Orestis Charos' complaints about the lighting in Capsule that you never brought us his letter to the city council?; For the construction of a sports centre in Manitochori? For the repair of the parking lot in Chora Kythera that in the summer a girl fell and almost killed herself, which is a sports facility and you turned it into a parking lot?; For the aboveground tank in Alexandradades, for the wall at Koukos in Kapsali that you executed without a building permit and without approvals? For the supply of the concrete, which I will remember, in Capsali, 147 cubic metres, and after a short time the hole was reopened? For the repairs to the River Municipal property, for the redevelopment of the Mites?; So please from today, you have a huge responsibility, all of you. You are not obeying the law. I urge you to obey the law.»
Condoleon: «Shocking allegations. Answers must be given».»
The serious complaints of Mr. Magoulas placed immediately after the councilman and head of the minor opposition Dimitris Kontoleon who said he was shocked and asked for answers by the Municipal Authority. More specifically he said:
«Listening to Mr. Magoulas elsewhere I wanted to take a stand but I think that what has been said by my colleague Mr Magoulas is shocking. We need someone from the opposition to answer whether what Mr Magoulas said about the licences is true. Because these are shocking allegations. The Municipal Authority cannot chase and wag its finger at the citizens and every professional for every irregularity and here we are talking about orgies. Over here, as Mr. Magoulas said, there are huge responsibilities by all members of the Council at this time if we are aware and if the allegations are valid. I would like a serious response, in the absence of the Mayor, from Mr Sougianne.».
Deputy Mayor Charalambos Sougiannis: «I am not prepared to respond to the tone of Mr. Magoulas. He should address the Municipality in writing.»
The Deputy Mayor Mr. Sougianis replied to the issue for the Municipal Authority, replacing the absent Mr. Harhalakis at the information stage, urging Mr. Magoulas to submit its questions in writing. He said:
«On the issues with the permits for the projects because of Mr. Magoulas' style I am not prepared to answer. Clearly it can be submit these questions and get the appropriate answers».
As soon as Mr. Sougianis finished, Mr. Mowglas intervened without asking for the floor asking if there were or were not any permits. «Am I going to go to the trouble of making you a document? Since you never answer.». Then the president of the Municipal Council Emm. Stathis called him to class, as he had no reason to do so, and instructed him to ask for the answers he wanted in writing.
Deputy Mayor George Kominos: «If I have responsibility for the Veterinary Clinic, I take it»
Regarding the complaint Magoulas on the issue of the Veterinary Clinic was placed at the stage of the agenda, Mr. George Kominos, as the responsible deputy mayor and admitted that indeed what has been mentioned is true, explaining the history of the building for which he has been searching for years. In fact, he stated with confidence that if he bears responsibility for the licensing issue, he takes it. In more detail he said:
«About the veterinary clinic in Kythera, I think I have said it before, I searched 4.5 years through the State General Archives and there's nowhere charged. Nor is it in the Municipality, nor in community, nor to higher taxes charged to the veterinary clinic of Kythera. The following happened, about two years ago, some young men came in during the summer months and some vandalism took place. As a result of these vandalisms, the important records of the veterinary clinic were endangered and of course the destruction of some tools which are still in use today.
So we said as much as possible and as soon as possible to do a clean-up of the area. And that tidying up was done. Now from there, if I have a responsibility, I take it and it's about the licensing issue.. However, the work that was done was not that important. The main concern was to change the frames so that the interior was also protected.».
Serious questions arise. Kythera.News commentary
After what was said in the City Council regarding the complaints of Mr. Magoulas are raised a number of questions, some of which have been highlighted in the recent past. Especially «how much» democracy now pervades the functioning of the Municipality and the Local Government more widely after the circumvention of the simple proportional representation with the Theodoricakou Act; How is it that serious issues are only discussed in the Finance Committee and not in the City Council? A number of issues have been piling up for two and a half years, is it possible to get to this level of treatment?; How will the Municipality of Kythera respond to all these; The Municipal Council is completely decorative or acting? The City Councilors who are supposed to control the administration, what are they doing?; Will Mr Magoulas finally make the necessary written reports as requested?;
And here there are not only issues of democracy, but also of violation of legality.. For at least two and a half years now, the logic of a "one-size-fits-all" approach has prevailed in local government. fast track procedure, aided by the pandemic's restrictive measures in terms of the functioning of the state (see the example of €6.5 million in direct contracts for 20 cm of snow), without taking into account the criteria of programming, quality and protection of the public interest. The «rain» of direct awards, the closed competitions which are sometimes declared invalid are evidence of the pathogenesis local government. It is very unpleasant for citizens that after a decade of deep economic crisis in our country and allegedly imposed reform policies, the situation in the state seems to be out of control.
It is particularly important to note that the Mayor of Kythera is a fanatical believer in legality and there have been many times when he has addressed citizens saying that the laws are above all. At the swearing-in ceremony of the new Municipal Authority in 2019, the re-elected Mayor, using the word law in his speech more than 24 times, had said: «any of our programmatic commitments, any element of our proclamations, any act of administration or authority, cannot have effect unless it is based on the provisions of the Act»
In any case, it has the possibility, by wisdom to find the Solutions, (with foresight, not suggestion and appeal) which will not only address the issues, but also ensure social cohesion. Because in recent years our entire island has been plagued by conflicts and counter-conflicts on the basis of public and private legitimacy. And perhaps if our politicians, especially the Mayor, do not take action, the consequences for everyone, in the near future, combined with the global economic crisis, will be disastrous and worse than those of 2011-2013.
Kythera.News
