With issues that directly concern the daily life of citizens, the proper functioning of communities and the progress of major infrastructure, the first accountability meeting of the Municipality of Kythera for 2026 was held on Wednesday 12 March.
Four main issues were raised: the quality and controls of drinking water, the pending issue of the fixed advance payment to the municipalities, the progress of the sewerage project in the southern part of Kythera and the state of the bridge and the square in the Karava area.
The meeting highlighted once again both the chronic administrative difficulties faced by the Municipality and the clash of political and administrative interpretations around critical issues, with the fixed advance payment being a prime example.
The Municipal Authority is reassuring about water
Councillor and leader of the major opposition Zacharias Souris raised a question about the water analyses published on the Municipality's website, asking for clear answers about the number of water supply points, the mandatory sampling per zone, any non-compliant samples, the cost of analyses and the relevant budget allocation.
In his reply, the Mayor stated that, based on the current legislation and the annual water consumption in Kythera, the minimum required number of samples is five per year for group A and three for group B. He said the Municipality has posted:
- 10 samples for 2021,
- 15 for 2022,
- 14 for 2023,
- 29 for 2024,
- 43 for 2025.
According to him, there is an annual contract from 19 June 2025 with the Athens Analytical Laboratories, amounting to 22,878 euros, while in the 2026 budget an amount of 25,000 euros has been provided for the quality control of drinking water.
The Mayor also mentioned that there are about 55 wells on the island and that the sampling is not done every year in the same places, but dispersed, so that there is wider supervision. He made special reference to the burnt areas, noting that after the fires there is an increased need for water monitoring to determine if chemical residues have affected the water table.
He claimed that so far all samples meet the chemical parameters of the legislation. He admitted, however, that in the northern part of the island there are elevated concentrations of iron and manganese, which are being treated by filtration at specific points, such as Agios Mamas, Agia Anastasia and Mitata.
In response to the additional question about tanks being filled by tankers, Mr. Suris noted that he did not locate any measurements on the City's website. The Mayor responded that the samples are taken from taps - in stores, schools or homes - not from the tanks themselves, and noted that tankers are required to have a drinking water transfer certification.
At the same time, he disclosed that the latest telemetry project in the water supply network has been completed and a special presentation is expected at the city council, during which the significant reduction in water losses, which - as he claimed - reaches 60% to 70%, will be presented.
Intense debate on the fixed advance in the communities
One of the most politically charged moments of the meeting was the discussion on the fixed advance to the municipalities, an issue raised by Panagiotis Megalokonomos.
Mr.Megalokonomos asked for information on the actions of the municipal authority regarding the establishment and activation of the fixed advance, noting that, according to the current institutional framework, this is an obligation of the Municipality and not a matter of discretion.
In response, the Mayor argued that the current framework, which is based on a royal decree of 1959, is practically unworkable for an understaffed island municipality like Kythera. He said that in order for the fixed advance to work, a full-time employee is required, while there is also a question of compatibility with the modern «principle of economy», which is imposed by the case law of the Court of Auditors and prevents the fragmentation of expenditure.
The Mayor said that he has already raised the issue with the Local Government Code Revision Committee and that the new Code, which is expected to be consulted soon, may provide a solution.
This response caused the strong reaction of Mr.Megalokonomou, who cited a document of the Ministry of Interior, dated 5 March 2026, according to which the establishment of a fixed advance to the communities is an explicit and binding obligation of the municipalities and is not at the discretion of the administration.
He directly accused the municipal authority that for three years it has constantly invoked pending issues and answers from the Ministry, without implementing a provision that - as he said - is already in force. In fact, he cited a specific example from Lower Meadow, where, he said, a pipe burst and water ran for months, arguing that if there had been a fixed advance, the community president could have intervened much faster.
The Mayor, for his part, insisted that with the six administrative employees currently available to the Municipality, when the organizational chart provides for 22, it is not possible to effectively implement this procedure without paralyzing other services. He also stressed that if the fixed advance is activated under the current regime, it will conflict with the annual contracts that currently cover breakdowns, rural roads, lamps and other urgent needs.
The debate showed that the issue remains open and may continue, especially if there are appeals to the Decentralized Administration, as provided for in the relevant document of the Ministry.
Race for the Sewer
Councillor Paraskevas Georgilas raised a question about the progress of the sewerage project in the southern part of Kythera, as well as the planning for the restoration of the road surface in places where interventions have been made, given that Easter is approaching and traffic is increasing.
The Mayor responded that, based on the financial data, the project is at 56%, and as a physical item it has reached approximately 65%. He said that more than 20 kilometers of sewerage network have already been constructed, five pumping stations have been installed and the installation of the remaining eight is expected, and the construction of the individual units of the wastewater treatment plant has been completed.
Particular emphasis was placed on the need to upgrade the power supply in Capsule, so that the biological treatment plant can operate as a tertiary treatment plant, as well as on the new sewage reception unit at the depot.
Regarding the restoration of the pavement, the Mayor announced that within the next ten days a special crew from Athens is expected to undertake the asphalt restorations, both for the sections of the sewerage system and for those of the water supply. He admitted that previous interventions, such as the one in the area outside the Vassilopoulos supermarket before Christmas, had not worked as they should have.
According to him, the project must be completed by June 30, 2026, as is the case for all Recovery Fund projects. He added that after Easter, a visit to Kythera by the relevant secretary general is expected to take place for an autopsy.
As part of his response, the Mayor claimed that the project has «triple supervision» - by the supervising engineers, an independent technical consultant and the Ministry of Environment - while there will be a fourth audit by a chartered accountant before the project is closed.
He also added that part of the funds that will not be absorbed by the archaeological survey sub-project will be transferred internally to the asphalt paving. This, he said, will allow not only for the restoration of cuts but also for complete asphalt paving of critical sections, such as:
- from the workshop in Livadi to Karvounada,
- from Pano Livadi to and beyond Levounari,
- as well as a section from Kato Livadi to the Katounios bridge.
Karavas: problem on the bridge at Amir Ali
Finally, Zacharias Souris, in his capacity as chairman, raised the issue of the danger of the bridge in the area of Amir Ali in Karavas, which -as he said- remains for a long time in a blockade, creating problems for vehicles and pedestrians and aggravating the image of the area in view of Easter.
The Mayor replied that at the request of the Municipality, an autopsy was conducted by two engineers, who found that restoration and reinforcement work was required with shotcrete under the bridge, as well as possible displacement of a column located on the upper side.
He said there are no plans for the bridge, which complicates the process, and it requires a construction settlement under Law 4495. The process will begin as soon as there is a clear budget, as a private contract will be required. It was not made clear whether the City or Inherent Property will handle the entire process, with him noting that «normally Inherent Property should do it,» but there is no definitive conclusion yet.
The Syrmalis case
It is worth noting that, on the sidelines of the meeting and after the end of the official procedure, Mr..Harhalakis, after a question by Mr..Souris made reference to the issue that has arisen with the letter Syrmalis, discussing the issue before the councillors who had remained in the room. More on this shortly.
