Read the statement issued by the faction of Kythira Mayor Efstratios Charhalakis following the announcement by the political group «Free Kythira»:
Will Mr. Sofios abolish the LEADER program?;
Should the 55 beneficiaries of the program be concerned?;
We did not intend to respond to Mr. Sofios' collective views, as, in general, a text of principles from an emerging coalition should be respected, regardless of whether we disagree with much of what it says. However, one particular point in this text greatly concerns us, and unfortunately not only us, as we have received complaints from several citizens who are puzzled by this particular opinion.
The author of the text states: «elimination of operational dependence on the Island Network.» What exactly does the author mean?;
We would therefore like to inform you that our municipality's only «operational dependence» on the Attica Islands Network is the implementation of the LEADER and ALIEIA programs in Kythira, through which 10 public and 55 private projects are being carried out on our island, with a total eligible public expenditure of €6,000,000, many of which have been completed and paid for through the Network.
The Attica Islands Network is a Local Action Group (LAG) and was founded in 2016 by the 8 municipalities of the Islands Regional Unit, one development company, and 11 social organizations with the aim of implementing the LEADER Program, which, according to EU regulations, is implemented ONLY through Local Action Groups. In short, precisely because there was no LAG in our prefecture, we created the Islands Network and thus brought €6,000,000 in funding to the primary sector, catering, tourism, and manufacturing on our island, funding that has great added value as it supported dozens of professionals in the midst of an economic and pandemic crisis.
Through the Local LEADER Program and with funding from the «Rural Development of Greece» Program and the «OP Fisheries,» more than €6,000,000 was approved in Kythira for the implementation of public and private projects in the fields of tourism, catering, culture, manufacturing, the primary sector, and services. Ten public and 55 private projects were funded, preserving 193 jobs and creating 102 new ones (official data from the Technical Implementation Reports)! For example:
Potamos Urban School (under construction)
Antikythera Mechanism Museum in Potamos (completed)
Passenger waiting room equipment in Diakofto (completed)
Improvement of port infrastructure (pillars, etc.) (completed)
Support for the Potamos Philharmonic Orchestra (completed)
Implementation of walking and cycling tourism activities (completed)
Significant financial support for olive oil cooperatives through the provision of new, modern machinery and other equipment
Strengthening the Beekeeping Cooperative
Support for businesses in the trade, tourism, and catering sectors
Support for manufacturing companies
Support for local wineries
All of the above, as well as the new LEADER projects that will be implemented in the next Programming Period, are carried out through the Islands Network, which acts as an intermediary management body between the beneficiaries, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, and OPEKEPE. Proposals are submitted through the Network, evaluated and approved through the Network, and payments to beneficiaries are made through the Network.
Furthermore, Municipal Networks are Local Government Bodies under Law 4674/2020 and assist their member municipalities in the development of projects and studies through Programmatic Agreements under Article 100 of Law 3852/2010. In this way, at minimal cost and in a very short time, our Municipality has developed five major projects, two of which have already been funded and put out to tender by the TRITSIS Program.
Specifically, with the technical assistance of the Network, the following projects were studied and developed:
1. Maintenance and restoration of buildings in the community of Mitata (Community Office, School, surrounding area): the project was funded with €850,000 from the TRITSIS Program and will begin shortly.
2. Maintenance and restoration of the Vitzamanis School and A/T building (creation of a folklore museum, Byzantine Museum, etc.): the project was funded by the TRITSIS Program with €514,000 and will begin shortly.
3. Studies for the regeneration of the Kythira River: the project has a budget of €5,500,000.00 and is currently in the licensing stage.
4. Municipal Slaughterhouse Studies. The studies were completed with funding from the Attica Regional Operational Program (ROP) and with the Island Network as the beneficiary. They have been licensed and the project is expected to receive €3,000,000 in funding. This project will permanently change the fate of the primary sector on our island, increasing the quantity and improving the quality of production and creating new jobs.
5. Restoration of the Karava Girls' School. The studies were completed with funding from the Attica Regional Operational Program and with the Island Network as the beneficiary. They have been licensed and the project will be submitted to the new LEADER program.
All of the above is jeopardized by the author of the text, who declares our municipality's independence from the Attica Islands Network, despite the fact that eight municipalities and dozens of social organizations surround the Network with unwavering trust, as well as our mayor as its president, who was unanimously elected to lead this important joint effort.
It is noteworthy that while Kythira has benefited significantly from the Island Network (almost half of the total LEADER program has been allocated to our island!), it is only in Kythira that negative (ideological) opinions about the Network are expressed, and in none of the other seven municipalities of the Islands Regional Unit. Unless there are more specific, personal reasons.
We will not respond to Mr. Sofios' other theories. Let him form a coalition, let him put forward specific proposals with clear justification and costing, and then there will be a public debate, to which we are always open, when the debate is based on arguments and not on endless theories that offer nothing at all and tend to confuse the public.
Until then, and because someone who exposes themselves to the public must, if they do not know, at least seek to learn, we would like to inform you that both the Mayor and all members of our Municipal Authority were and remain available for any kind of information on any issue, so that opinions that are either untrue or reasonably cause great concern to citizens are not publicly reported.
