Harsh criticism and dedications to the municipal majority today the municipal faction of the minor opposition with a press release issued. The municipal faction speaks of a magical image that attempts to construct the municipal majority and especially the Mayor of Kythera, both in his report, published by the latter days ago, and in the budget which is executed at 4 instead of 19 million for 2022, since there are no guaranteed funding. The faction goes on to criticize the municipal majority for the way it prepares budgets and directs the municipality's spending. It also states that it refuses to vote on the proposed budget, looking forward to a much more open process, and reserves a dedication to the municipal majority with a Lilliputian song for the end. Read the press release below.
PRESS RELEASE - Kythera-Antikythera, We are here to stay.
«A budget-watchlist without a strategy»
Winston Churchill (1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel Prize 1953) said that «politics is the ability to show today what will happen tomorrow and explain tomorrow why it didn't happen»! This is what we are reminded of by the action reports of the outgoing Municipal Authority and the Region of Attica, as well as the budget for the 2023 projects.
If you read the Municipal report you will think that Kythera is the «Land of Promise» and that our islands are a «vast construction site». Stepping out of your house and walking around the streets of Kythera, you think you live in a different place than the one described by the Mayor. Welcome to reality...
The same situation prevails in the account-budget of the Attica region, which concerns us directly: the deficit resulting from the technical programme has shot up to 156 million euros. The backlog of signed contracts amounts to EUR 290 million and cash reserves to EUR 134 million, so there is a deficit which means that in reality a large part of the Attica Region's project programme is not being carried out...
In Kythera it is estimated that against a budget of 19 million at the end of 2022, projects worth 4 million would have been executed... The whole process gives the feeling that promises and «will» are put in the budget while either the funding is not secured (with huge responsibility of the government) or the Municipality is not able to absorb resources. But the magic image remains to allow the propaganda of the municipal majority and especially the Mayor...
Our party «Kythira-Antikythera, We Live Here» considers that the vast majority of the proposed projects are necessary and positive. However, there are proposals (both from us and from Local Councils, mass organizations, etc.) for a number of other projects-interventions that may be more important. With this procedure it is of course impossible to discuss them...
Unfortunately, the reality is that decisions are made outside the City Council, through non-transparent procedures. The Mayor and his advisors select projects, participation in programs, etc. based on criteria that have never been made public.
The most important thing for us is that we lack a strategic plan for where we want to take our islands and what are the main directions for development. That's where the budgets should fit in, that's what the budgets should serve. To our repeated proposals to formulate such a strategic plan, the Mayor has been negative. The municipal majority has had the opportunity to discuss the basic directions of the budget in a timely and transparent manner in the City Council (possibly with public consultation). But it did not do so.
The Municipal Council is not given the opportunity to explore alternative proposals and directions that could support the productive process in Kythera (infrastructure investments for agricultural production, livestock farming, energy production, infrastructure investments to support tourism, municipal transport, etc.)
We will insist because only in this way there will be full transparency and political legitimacy towards those who are the most important for the Municipality, i.e. the citizens.
In this situation, and despite the fact that we agree with the vast majority of the existing proposals, we cannot vote for the proposed budget. We look forward to a much more open process, more painful perhaps, but with the participation of all Board members, all Local Councils and of course all citizens. And we look forward to another municipal authority that will put this into practice.
Finally, joining the «relaxed» festive atmosphere and since 2023 is a year of local elections, we dedicate to the municipal majority one of the songs of Lillipopolis (3rd ERA Programme, conducted by Manos Hadjidakis):
«People of Lilliput, lift up your sail,
with Harhuda as mayor, you can't see a black day.
And if you were a Harhudian, it's time to repent,
Become Dystropogic if you want to get ahead.
The Kharkhudis have removed the mayor of Kharkhuda
and our lives are ruled by a bear butterfly.
But in the other elections the wheel will turn
and all of Lilliput will vote for me.».
May we all have a good year.
