Free Kythira vs. Charhalakis: «Resounding failure» for coastal shipping, says the faction – «Populist in office,» responds the mayor

The decision of the Council of Shipping Communications (CAC) for four-year contracts on the barren lines has fired up the atmosphere in Kythera. The faction «Free Kythira» with an acute press release characterized the presence of the mayor and representative of the KEDE, Stratos Harhalakis, «disastrous failure» that binds not only Kythira but all small islands in «contract suffering». On the other hand, the mayor himself defends the option as a «historic success», responding in a harsh and ironic tone to the opposition.

The spikes of «Free Kythera»

In the opposition press release, the language is unrelenting. The mayor, they say, has not only failed for Kythera, but has backed out of an agreement that binds all small islands without ensuring the obvious: the existence of a replacement ship. «In high summer with 4 Beaufort, the ship does not work and the mayor announces as a gain that “the minister will have the right to replace it with a lower-qualified one”,» they comment scornfully. And they mockingly ask: «Is there anything lower than not being able to catch in port?».

The tone becomes even harsher when they accuse Mr. Harhalakis of turning the negotiation into an «individual contest», which he lost in a way that exposes everyone. «You failed both as mayor of Kythera and as a representative of the KEDE,» they note, arguing that he repeated the same «imperative» attitude he had shown during the summer fires, calling for planes that never came.

At the climax of the text, the opposition accuses him of preferring to obey government orders, while selling the citizens the role of «disobedient». «If three terms are not enough for you to have public transport, that's fine: “what can our mayor do to you that he was sold out” will be said again tomorrow by your fatalistic voters.» The ending is absolutely sharp: «Nothing will change if nothing changes.».

The response of Harhalakis

The mayor of Kythera, for his part, did not leave the attack unanswered. In his post, he responds directly to the head of the opposition Anargyros Sophios, choosing a sarcastic style. «Mr Sophios has not understood the way collective bodies work. Beach volleyball is perhaps more understandable to him,» he wrote, attempting to deconstruct the criticism.

Mr. Harhalakis presents the decision on the four-year contracts as «a success that was enthusiastically received by all the islands», as it puts an end to the constant uncertainty of annual negotiations. «The timetables will be open for four years, something that has never been done before,» he notes, arguing that politics is «the art of the possible» and not «so-called revolutionary fanfare».

The mayor's attack culminates when he accuses Sophio of practicing «the most old-party and populist opposition in the history of the Municipality of Kythera» and challenges him by saying: «We wish him to continue like this and even lower, because he shows not only his real intentions but also his only potential: extreme populism with the sole aim of the chair».

Read below in chronological order the evolution of their statements:

Declaration of Harhalakis on Monday 25 August 2025:

«I participated today in the marathon meeting of the Maritime Transport Council, representing the KEDE, which gave its opinion on the draft notice of the agony ferry lines. The final decision is taken by the Minister of Maritime Affairs, but the opinion of the Council is rarely changed.

For the first time, the new public service contracts will be valid for 4 years, which is a long-standing demand of island communities. The duration of the new contracts will be from 01-11-2025 to 31-10-2029! Therefore, there will be stability on the coast, we will know the routes in time and the development of tourism on our islands will be enhanced.

Yet another important provision of today's decision, which directly concerns Kythera, is that the free travel obligations are extended and for the first time also provided 100% discount to athletes and members of amateur island sports clubs in the context of their movement for participation in local championships!

Regarding the terms of the notice, I urgently requested the obligation to have a replacement vessel, which was not accepted, with the justification that there are no ships available and such a condition would exclude many shipping companies from participating in the tender, leaving many islands without a ship. I hear the argument, but I could not vote in favour without this condition. In any case, with last year's amendment to the legislation on the occasion of the Kythera ferry blockade, the Minister of Shipping now has the right to directly award an emergency contract to an available replacement vessel, even of lower qualification, to cover urgent ferry needs.».

Free Kythera: Disastrous failure of the mayor of Kythera as representative of the KEDE (26 August 2025)

«Perhaps the position of the KEDE representative in the Council of Shipping Transport is decorative. Maybe it is simply someone placed there who is guaranteed to say yes to everything to the shipping minister. Either way, however, the mayor of Kythera has not only taken Kythera but all the small islands into his own neck of the woods.

Not only was there not a condition for a replacement ship, but now we will be tied up for 4 years with the inconvenience contract!

So: In bad weather with 4 Beaufort winds, the boat doesn't catch and the mayor announces as a gain that “the minister will have the right to replace it with a lower-qualified one” (really, is there any lower than not being able to catch in port?).... Strato, you lost again. You chose to make negotiation an individual contest. And you lost. And you didn't just lose for Kythera, you lost for all the islands. You failed both as mayor of Kythera and as a representative of the KEDE. You failed in the one and simple and obvious: to have a replacement ship. “I urgently requested” you say now. Just as you urgently requested planes for the fires...

Here's the incurable nature of your tenure: you'd rather lose alone by obeying everything (but selling the natives disobedience) than win together. “These things are not done by taking bribes” you say. OK. Presenting yourself as “networked” and sacrificing the interests of Kythera and Kytherians to curry favour with the government of the day is not just wrong, it is an insult to the place and its people. And if 3 terms isn't enough for you to have public transport, that's fine: “what can our mayor do to you that he was sold out” will be said again tomorrow by your fatalistic voters.».
NOTHING WILL CHANGE IF NOTHING CHANGES.

Harhalakis« response today to the EP bulletin: »The leader of the people's revolution has struck again!'.

«Mr. Sophios has not yet understood how the collective bodies, both the Municipality and the others, operate. Logically, beach volleyball is perhaps more comprehensible to him. The decision of the SAC to award four-year contracts on the coastlines is not only a success but was enthusiastically received by all the islands, let him look at the profiles of many fellow island mayors and island bodies. It puts a definitive end to the labyrinthine annual procedures that have left islanders in uncertainty for months. Route plans will be open for 4 years which has never been done before!

Mr Sophios fails to understand that politics is the art of the possible and not the so-called revolutionary fanfares dictated by his supporters in the self-organizing and non-democratic spaces they like to discuss. In a collective body such as the SAC, the actors express opinions and nothing else. They neither threaten nor shout. The ferries are specific and must cover 100 barren routes! Unless Mr Sophios or one of his friends has a gift boat to give us especially for Kythera!

Mr.Sophios, although young in age, has already managed to win the title of the most old-party and populist opposition in the history of the Municipality of Kythera. We wish him to continue like this and even lower because he shows not only his real intentions but mainly his only potential: extreme populism with the sole aim of the chair. Let him realise this while it is still early: the formula he has chosen is a failure...».