The Mayor of Kythira responds with a post on Facebook in the press release of the municipal faction of the minor opposition «Kythira-Antikythira, We Stay Here». Read below:
Are you sure you want to stay here?;
«The municipal faction «WE STAY HERE,» in one of its last public interventions, since in a few months the municipal elections will bring its short political life to an end, proves once again what everyone has realized for four years now: they are only good in theory, not in practice. They dislike everything, they see everything as negative, they do not reward any work or action, or success of the municipal authority, and they are following in the footsteps of the losers of the recent national elections, who invested in negativity, receiving a resounding rejection of their choice from the electorate.
With regard to the issues raised, I would like to note the following:
1. The decline in the population of the islands is widespread and not exclusive to Kythira. The recent census showed a population decline on almost all inhabited islands, which can be explained by many reasons that have been publicly analyzed by scientists and experts. Indicatively: lack of job opportunities during the winter, temporary overpopulation only during the summer season, «census refusers» (a phenomenon that is also strong on our island), etc. To blame a mayor because the population is aging and declining (a phenomenon that is both national and European) borders on the ridiculous...
2. The same applies to accuracy and labor shortages. It is not only Kythira that suffers from these problems, but the entire Greek countryside! And, of course, neither the municipalities are responsible for the high cost of living nor, of course, for the labor shortage! People laugh at what you write...
3. The water is NOT black! What is black is the opposition that some people think they are forming. Dozens of water supply projects have been carried out in recent years, solving many problems in numerous settlements. In 2014, nearly 15 settlements had their water supply cut off every other weekend in the summer. At that time, I was living in Drymona, and every Friday at noon, the water was cut off until Sunday! Today, this phenomenon has almost been eliminated. There are still two problematic areas, but the problem there will also be solved with the projects we have launched. Of course, we are not miracle workers: there will always be faults, and after a prolonged fault, the network will always leak. It would be interesting to hear even one proposal on this issue from our otherwise vocal opponents. Just one. Specific, documented, costed. Because the view that «there should be no faults» is utopian.
4. Schools are NOT in a terrible state. Significant projects have been carried out in all schools with funds from the Municipality and the Public Investment Program, projects that some people fiercely opposed, even though they themselves are parents of young children! A few months ago, €1,300,000 in funding was approved by the Region for all schools on the island, while studies for the expansion of the Gymnasium/Lyceum are currently being carried out by the KTIP. Do you really not read the municipality's press releases?;
5. We await your suggestions regarding parking spaces. Not just criticism. Suggestions for specific areas. We await your responses.
6. The studies for the completion of the Potamos Theater have been posted on the Municipality's website since December 7: https://kythira.gr/…/07/meletes-theatroy-potamoy-kythiron/ The studies are excellent, and due to the complexity of the project, it took a long time to complete them. The licensing and AEPO issuance process will also not be easy. We are seeking funding for the project (€715,000) and we are confident that we will succeed, as we have secured large amounts of funding for many such projects in the past.
7. Leisure time/sports/children/culture: Seven new playgrounds are being completed and certified, the 5 existing ones will be renovated as required by law, the modern sports center in Manitochori is ready, the 2 new sports fields in Potamos and Frilingianika will be ready in the summer, the Antikythera Mechanism Museum in Potamos has been completed, the Urban School will soon be a construction site, the Mitatos and Vitzamanios buildings are being converted into cultural spaces, etc. Of course, all this is known to the opposition, but they simply downplay and conceal it.
8. With the LEADER projects, we are achieving the real productive reconstruction of Kythira. Fifty-five private and ten public projects have been completed or are being implemented on our island with €6,000,000 in funding from the LEADER program. From the Antikythera Mechanism Museum, the Urban School, and support for the Philharmonic Orchestra, to olive oil cooperatives, beekeeping, the primary sector, manufacturing, services, tourism, and catering. According to the program's official data (Technical Data Sheets of Included Actions), the 55 private LEADER projects being carried out on our island are maintaining 193 jobs and creating 102 new ones! This is REAL productive reconstruction! This is REAL policy for retaining residents on the island and attracting new ones!
The level of opposition chosen by my colleagues in the minority is truly dismal. Lofty theories, but no proposals. Easy with words, but non-existent in action.
However, today, at the meeting of the Economic Committee, which both opposition parties were absent from, we included the following projects in the budget, which will be put out to tender immediately:
• K.A. 02.63.7336.0019 is amended in terms of title and amount, with a new title «Sewerage System for the Southern Part of the Island of Kythira (Recovery Fund)» and a new amount of €28,040,582.88.
• The new K.A. 02.30.7336.0130 is created with the title «Regeneration of Kypriotianika (Green Fund)» and an amount of €144,000.00.
• New K.A. 02.63.7336.0020 is created with the title «Upgrade of Water Supply Infrastructure in the Municipality of Kythira (Recovery Fund) – SUB-PROJECT 1: Completion of the Telemetry and Automatic Control System for the Water Supply Infrastructure of the Municipality of Kythira» and an amount of €3,063,668.10.
• New K.A. 02.63.7336.0021 is created with the title «Upgrading of Water Supply Infrastructure in the Municipality of Kythira (Recovery Fund) – SUB-PROJECT 2: Drilling and Replacement of Municipal Wells in the Municipality of Kythira» is created with an amount of €640,106.90.
This is the best response to the opposition's false claims that the projects are merely «on paper.» If they really «remain HERE,» let them go to Makrona, Mormori, Chalko, Fyri Ammo, Kalamavros, the new playgrounds, the major road works that residents are already enjoying, the new sports center in Manitochori, the Antikythera Mechanism Museum, etc., etc., etc., so they can see them up close. If they don't know where they are, we will gladly take them there.
Because WE ARE STAYING HERE... They are elsewhere...»
