On Monday, 30/08, the 8th meeting of the city council for 2021, through the ZOM platform, chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Stathi. From the meeting, absent were the representatives of major minority, as they had announced.

In the discussion there was an update on the legal implications of the issue of wind turbines, while it was decided that the Municipality should participate in the energy community that is being established.«is a one-way street for the protection of the island in the face of the pharaonic wind farm projects that have been proposed in the absence of the local community.».

The following is the press release of the municipality of Kythera for the proceedings of the Board and its decision.

«The Municipal Council of Kythera met on 30 August 2021 at noon, at 8^η its meeting for 2021, through the ZOM platform, chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Stathis. Participating were the Municipal Councillors of the majority and the minority as well as the Mayor of Kythera Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis.

All the Councillors of the major minority abstained, citing unsubstantiated allegations, proving that they either do not have or do not wish (why?) to take a clear and unambiguous position on the major energy issues of the island and especially on the issue of wind turbines and the Energy Community. She is absent from the Boards while she was asking for them to be done through ZOM! Its leader (?) Mr. Panagopoulos did not do us the honour of attending the long briefing held by the deputy mayors in July to the opposition factions, citing the vaccination issues (only Mr. Dimitris Kontoleon attended and was informed in detail about all the current issues of the Municipality), at the same time as he asks for face-to-face meetings. We wonder: is he afraid of the unvaccinated in a closed meeting of 6 people and not afraid of them in a council of 17? They deliberately abstain from any discussion of a serious issue.

They voted «present» on the River Bazaar Rules, I wonder why? They abstained from voting on the Local Waste Management Plan, they abstained from voting on the SWPPP! We call on them to stop misleading the citizens! It is not up to the Mayor to decide which issue will be brought to the Finance Committee and which to the Board. This is clearly defined by law. Every Board member has personal business and obligations, but when one asks for the vote of the citizens, one must set aside all personal obligations in order to be present in their duties. Of course, if they are exemplified by their member Mr. P. Alevisopoulos, who did not participate in any Board, giving away his seat to our party and thus insulting his constituents, they probably have a very special understanding of public participation. The people judge them, we are not going to deal with their case any further. Politically and socially isolated as ever, all they have left is to resort to lies and mud. They can continue in this choice as long as we continue to vigorously pursue projects across the island for the benefit of the citizens!

The Board was attended by the Legal Advisor of the Municipality, Mr. Antonis Semitekolos, who provided information on the legal implications of the issue of wind turbines and Mr. Manos Vassilakis and Spyros Michalakakis on behalf of the interdepartmental committee of RES, which has formed the Board. The responsible Deputy Mayor Mr. Charalambos Sougiannis introduced the issue of the establishment of the Energy Community and Mr. Spyros Michalakakis analyzed the issue in an extremely clear manner, demonstrating that the establishment of an Energy Community is a one-way street for the protection of the island in the face of the wind farms, which have been proposed in the absence of the local community.

The Board decided unanimously:

Approval of the preliminary design and a decision to participate in the Energy Community (in which the City will play a primary role by exhausting the 40% allowable limit).
By analogy, the recommendation to the ECSC for similar participation to the extent technically possible (to be confirmed in the second phase of the study).
The award of the contract for the provision of an energy consultant for the rapid promotion of the next phases of the study, with an indicative budget of 20.000 Euro, which will be provided for in the forthcoming 3^η revision of the Budget for the year 2021.
In cooperation with the Energy Advisor, communication with institutions (e.g. Cooperatives), businesses and individuals for the presentation of the project and their participation in the project.
The assignment of the coordination of the whole project to the Deputy Mayor of Works and Environment, with the maintenance of the present interdepartmental committee in a supporting role, while of course the final decisions will be taken by the City Council.