The Mayor of Kythira, Efstratios Charchalakis, continues to respond to the allegations made by the leader of the main opposition, City Councilman Nikos Magoulas, this time regarding the issue of Kastelo Avlemona. In a post on social media, the mayor places the blame on the Ministry of Culture and the then-minister, Lydia Koniordou. Of course, he does not appear to dispute the legal framework of the decision, since the Ministry of Culture is responsible for archaeological sites and monuments. In the post, he includes excerpts from public documents related to the issue. However, it raises questions that the mayor does not provide information on what actions have been taken by the municipality, the Local Government, and the Ministry of Culture regarding the Kastelo project during the three and a half years that his party has governed the country (2019–2020–2021–2022). Read his statement:
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CASTLE OF AVLEMON (KASTELO)
At the recent Board of Directors meeting, the leader of the largest minority faction, Mr. Nikos Magoulas, also referred to Kastraki in Avlemonas, known as Kastelo or Kasteli. He said, verbatim: «It has had ALL the necessary approvals since 2012, and I am truly surprised that for 10 years now, this project has not been put out to bid and its implementation has not moved forward.».
But is that really the case?;
Does it really have «ALL the necessary approvals since 2012»?;
On March 5, 2012, by decision of the then Deputy Minister of Culture, Petros Alevizatos, and following the approval of the Central Archaeological Council (KAS), the «Technical Report on the Restoration of the Venetian Fortress (Kastelli) in Avlemonas, Kythira.» The relevant decision was posted on the «Diafania» transparency portal with ADA: B44GG-DXD. Mr. Magoulas is evidently referring to this decision, but he is deliberately concealing its content. This is because this decision does NOT approve the complete and comprehensive restoration of the monument, but rather the first of a total of three phases. Specifically, it refers to the approval of a Technical Report and not a final design. It stipulates that «extensive stabilization work is approved in principle but will not be carried out at this stage» because the final design was to be prepared later. This decision essentially approves the investigative work required as a prerequisite for the preparation of the final study, specifically: vegetation clearance, exploratory trenching, opening of blocked openings, locating, documenting, drawing, and photographing the architectural elements scattered both inside and outside the Castle, etc. The decision clearly states: “No other work is to be carried out at the Fortress except for that of a research nature”! THEREFORE, THERE IS NO RESTORATION AND HIGHLIGHTING STUDY BECAUSE RESEARCH WORK MUST BE CONDUCTED FIRST TO PREPARE IT!
Let’s move on. In 2014, the engineering firm «ILIOPOULOS BROTHERS, General Partnership» which had been commissioned by the Local Property Authority to restore the exterior walls of the Paleochora Castle, sent a letter to the Local Property Authority fully confirming the above. They estimated the cost of the first (exploratory) phase at €70,000.
From the very moment I took office as mayor, I was in constant contact with the relevant Ephorate to ensure that the necessary steps were taken to begin at least the first phase of the project. However, the 2012 Ministerial Decision was explicit: no restoration work may proceed without the completion of a final design study.
On February 3, 2017, I sent a letter (Ref. No. 256) to the Piraeus Ephorate of Antiquities. I informed them that our municipality had allocated €90,000 in its budget (the amount was included in both the 2016 and 2017 budgets under budget code 02.70.7331.15) in order to carry out the first phase of the exploratory work, and I requested the signing of a Cultural Development Program Agreement pursuant to Article 100, paragraph 5, of Law3852/2010 (we have signed a similar agreement for the Potamos Urban School) in order to proceed with the public bidding for the project.
On the SAME DAY, we received a decision from the Minister of Culture, Ms. Lydia Koniordou, stating that «we DO NOT approve the implementation of the proposed project as outlined in the Budget and Technical Program of the Municipality of Kythira [….] Because it involves specialized work—such as stabilization and archaeological work, etc.—which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.».
And so the project was put to rest.
The Minister did NOT approve funding for the 1st
Project Phase by the Municipality!
It was NOT approved!
And he even tells us that this work should be done by the Ministry of Culture and Sports!
Seriously, did they really do that???;
That's the TRUTH!
on the work of Kastelos
