The tender for the 74 barren subsidised ferry lines seems to be heading towards a deadlock, as the decision of the National Public Procurement Authority (NPA) upholding the appeal of two shipping companies against conditions in the notice has caused delays and postponements in the procedure. This is reported today in an article in the newspaper «Εφημεpισtής tnvιktatnς»
The issue is of particular importance for island communities, which depend on these lines to connect them to the mainland and to each other. The situation has led to reactions from stakeholders and residents, as well as legal action by the Ministry of Shipping, which appealed to the Council of State (CoE), seeking the annulment of the decision of the NADESY.
The Ministry, through its leadership and in particular the Minister of Shipping Christos Stylianidis, maintains that all the legal procedures for the tendering procedure for the tendering procedure, which concerns the period 1/11/2024 - 31/10/2025. According to his statements, the notice received unanimous approval from the Maritime Transport Council (RTC), which includes representatives of the companies that subsequently appealed to the NADISY.
However, their appeal challenged two conditions of the notice, which «froze» the procedure, causing serious problems in the planning of the routes for next year.
Reactions from the islanders
The delay has triggered strong reactions from stakeholders and islanders, who express outrage at the repetition of the same «scene» every year.
Ο Association of Commercial and Tourism Enterprises of Folegandros, in a letter to the ministry, denouncing the inefficiency of the procedure. As he points out, the delay in the assignment of lines creates problems in the tourist season and in the daily service of residents. The association proposes:
- Cancellation of the 2024-2025 tender and the direct direct award of the routes to the current companies, in order to ensure the continuity of the routes.
- Review of the procedure and launching a new tender for the period 2025-2026, in order to be completed in time.
- Improving the organisation of the competition, to avoid similar delays in the future.
Stylianides, responding to the accusations, said that the ministry is acting on the basis of the legal framework and that the court proceedings will show whether the decision of EADISY was correct. He stressed that, as last year, the CoE will probably uphold the legality of the notice. At the same time, the ministry continues to face criticism over the overall management of the ferry lines.
The situation highlights the chronic pathologies in the management of coastal transport and the need for immediate, radical solutions that will serve the real needs of the islands.
