In connection with its pilot program Volkswagen On Astypalea, the «Smart & Sustainable Island,» the prime minister staged a publicity stunt to make a good impression. There, he claimed that the island would serve as the cornerstone of the transition to green growth, providing «energy self-sufficiency, entirely powered by nature.».
Mr. Mitsotakis He referred to the process of phasing out coal that the country has embarked upon, noting that there is an urgent need for us to «be courageous and act together» in order to address the crisis of climate change. The prime minister spoke of a path toward a cleaner future through the creation of green jobs.
On the other hand, «green growth» cannot be defined simply as the delivery of five electric vehicles from a well-known automaker, as pointed out by the Head of the Shipping and Island Policy Division of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, Nektarios Santorinios. Nor can you call the 9 chargers you purchased a «government initiative for the islands» energy self-sufficiency,” since All six were purchased by the Municipality of Astypalaia itself All three are owned by the private company.
At the same time, Mr. Santorinios challenges the government’s position—according to which Astypalaia will be the first energy-independent island in the Mediterranean—by citing the examples of Ai Strati and of Tilos, which, according to him, «became energy self-sufficient with real policies during the SYRIZA administration».
Speaking from the floor of Parliament, he emphasized that «the government has been trying for some time now to convince us that it is implementing a major energy self-sufficiency plan for the island, but unfortunately for it, the numbers don’t add up, since according to HEDNO’s own study (data cited in the official response from the Ministry of Environment and Energy following a related question I submitted), the island will meet its own needs by 60%. You certainly can't call that autonomy, though.».
In fact, according to data submitted to the minutes by the SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance member of parliament, it also appears that The tender documents are not yet finalized, the recommendation of the responsible administrator can be found in progress, while all alternative project management options are being explored.
«Astypalaia will become an open testing ground for autonomous driving, and the company will benefit from this. Beyond the ribbon-cutting ceremonies and fueling the Prime Minister’s public relations agenda, how does it plan to ensure the substantive strengthening of the island’s infrastructure through this program?» asked Nektarios Santorinios, adding:
«Astypalaia deserves to be a green and self-sufficient island; it deserves—and is capable of—attracting green investments. However, since islanders aren’t easily dazzled by empty promises, any such plan must be based on substance and careful planning, not just fanfare. This government is trying to convince us that it is building a green profile for the islands, but without any practical results and without the projects even having been fully planned.».
