In a move that shows the great indignation of the citizens, residents of Kythera have decided to appeal to the Ombudsman, denouncing the Municipal Authority on the state of the water supply network on the island. The appeal, which is accompanied by specific complaints, focuses on chronic failures of the Municipality as regards the Maintenance and upgrade of infrastructure, which, according to the complainants, have led to serious water supply problems in several areas of the island.
Citizens claim that the water shortage in Kythera is not related to the general water scarcity that affects many areas of the country, but to the poor management of infrastructure by the Municipality. Since mid-July, residents and visitors in many areas of the island have been faced with zero or minimal water flow, making their lives unlivable and poses a risk to public health.
In their appeal, citizens complain in particular the Mayor of Kythera, Efstratios Harhalakis, as and other competent persons, for their omissions and request the immediate intervention of the Ombudsman. They stress that the situation has led to serious malfunctions, with constant water supply interruptions and the need to supply water through tanks, which puts a financial burden on residents and causes concern about water quality.
This move aims to highlight the responsibilities of the Municipal Authority and to force the competent authorities to take the necessary measures to restore normal water supply and decent living on the island. Residents are calling on those who wish to co-sign the petition, providing their personal details to strengthen the collective effort.
The citizens' group invites those interested to send the text attached below to the Ombudsman, otherwise they can submit it directly to the relevant contact form:
https://www.synigoros.gr/el/anafora/ipovoli-anaforas
As you had announced a few days ago, in case they need any information about it, they can contact the following address: cerigocitizens@gmail.com
Below is the text file in Greek and in English translation.
The texts and here:
PUBLIC SERVICE TO WHICH THE COMPLAINT REFERS:
MUNICIPALITY OF KYTHIRON / DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL SERVICES, BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT / MAYOR OF KYTHIRON, Mr.
By this petition we denounce before you the acts and omissions the institutions of the O.T.A. Kythera: the mayor Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis, his associates and the the eminently competent and responsible Directorate of Technical Services, Building and Environment, regarding the (non-)operation of the water supply network of the Municipality. .
We denounce the above legal and natural persons for their gross negligence, the omissions of the legal actions due on their part and the generally incomplete fulfillment of their basic duties regarding the water supply and sewerage network of the city, as these duties are provided and imposed by the provisions of Law No. 3643/2006 Article 75 I, point c) para. 1., as amended.
The omissions and omissions of the above persons have resulted in the citizens and visitors of the island of Kythera experiencing unbearable suffering in the midst of summer and prolonged heatwave, risking their health.
Specifically: In villages and settlements of the island of Kythera (Aloisianika, Kastrisianika, Frilingianika, Aroniadika, Pitsinades, Agia Pelagia, Spilia, Spilia, Stavros Kapsali, Mitata), already since mid-July 2024 there is zero or minimal water flow from the water supply network, making everyday life and living on the island literally unlivable and threatening immediate and serious health risks for all of us, residents and visitors.
It should be made explicitly clear at this point that the said problem in Kythera should not be associated and It is NOT due to the admittedly current water scarcity, but it has arisen for at least three (3) years, as an inevitable result of many years of failure to meet the obligations of the municipality in terms of maintenance and upgrading of the water supply network. This is proven and confirmed, moreover, by the Municipality of Kythera itself, through its repeated announcements on its website, about water supply interruption in various areas «due to failure» (see the relevant attached announcements of the Municipal Authority, posted electronically on its official website) ...
The indifference of those responsible for the maintenance of the water and sanitation infrastructure is the cause of the constant breakdowns and water shortages - not the general current water shortage.
We denounce the Municipality of Kythera, personally the Mayor Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis, his associates and the Technical Services Department of the Municipality, but also anyone else responsible for not fulfilling the basic obligations as imposed by law, as stated above, citing the following situations and the following facts:
While the residents and visitors of the island have been left from almost the beginning of the summer season 2024 at the mercy of the indifference of those «responsible», the latter, now faced with the justifiably strong expression of indignation of citizens, visitors and the opposition of the Municipal Council, have now, at the end of August 2024, arrived to announce and promise projects, supplies and maintenance of infrastructure...
Throughout this period of non-operation of the network several residents and businessmen of the island were forced to resort to the solution of supplying water from tanks (with the encouragement of the Municipality and the Deputy Mayor), at a cost of 200 Euros per tank transfer, water of unknown, dubious and unsafe origin. They indicated, that is, the same responsible, as a «solution» to this major problem, the supply of water from tanks ... a fact that apart from the unfair financial burden on the citizens, raises justified concern as to the fulfillment of hygiene standards.
WE, the complainants, permanent residents and/or temporary residents of the island of Kythera, strongly protest and denounce the Municipality of Kythera, the Mayor Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis, his deputy mayors and associates, the Technical Services Department of the Municipality, and anyone else responsible for the fact that through the actions and, above all, through their omissions, have deprived us and are depriving us of essential services, such as water and sanitation, by failing to maintain, as they should, the water and sanitation networks, leaving them in a state of disrepair, with constant sewerage network breakdowns and leaks and repeated interruptions to our water supply, so that this year be deprived of water for more than five (5) weeks, which, combined with the non-functioning of the sewerage system, creates an explosive mixture of insecurity and danger to our health: conditions that violate any notion of decent living and, consequently, conditions of violation of our personality.
Furthermore, the situation described above also devalues our assets on the island of Kythera.
For these reasons, we appeal to you and request the immediate intervention of the Office of the Citizen's Advocate, in order to control the administration of the Municipal Authority of Kythera, as regards the mentioned problem, to ascertain the acts and omissions that led to the situation described above and to oblige in every legal way the O.T.A. Kythera and any competent natural and/or legal person to immediately take any legal and due action to restore normal, safe and dignified living conditions on our island.
TRANSLATION OF COMPLAINT TO BE FILED BEFORE THE CITIZEN'S ATTORNEY
With this petition we complain before you the acts and omissions of the organs of the O.T.A. Kythera: the mayor Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis, his associates and the competent and responsible Directorate of Technical Services, Building and Environment, regarding the (non-)operation of the water supply network of the Municipality.
We complain against the above legal entities and natural persons for their gross omissions, the omissions of the legal actions due on their part and the generally incomplete fulfilment of their basic duties regarding the water supply and sewerage network of the city, as these duties are provided and imposed by the provisions of Law No. 3643/2006 Article 75 I, point c) para. 1., as amended.
The omissions and failures of the above persons have resulted in the citizens and visitors to the island of Kythera experiencing unbearable suffering in the middle of the summer and the prolonged heatwave, endangering their health.
Specifically: in villages and settlements of the island of Kythera (Aloisianika, Kastrisianika, Frili-Gianika, Aroniadika, Pitsinades, Agia Pelagia, Spili, Stavros Kapsali, Mitata), already since mid-July 2024 there is zero or minimal water flow from the water supply network, having as a result that, the daily life and living on the island to become literally unlivable and threaten the immediate and serious health risk of all of us, residents and visitors.
At this point it should be explicitly stated that the mentioned problem in Kythera should not be associated and IS NOT due to the generally acknowledged current water scarcity, but has arisen for at least three (3) years, as an inevitable result of the many years of inadequate fulfillment of the obligations of the municipality in terms of maintenance and upgrading of the water supply network. This is proven and confirmed, moreover, by the Municipality of Kythera itself, through its repeated announcements on its website, on the interruption of water supply in various areas “due to damage” (see the relevant attached announcements of the Municipal Authority, electronically posted on its official website) ...
The lack of interest of those responsible for the maintenance of the water and sewerage infrastructure is the cause of the constant breakdowns and water shortages - not the general current water shortage.
We complain against the Municipality of Kythera, personally the Mayor Mr. Efstratios Harhalakis, his associates and the Technical Services Department of the Municipality, but also everyone else responsible for not fulfilling the basic obligations, as imposed by law, as stated above, citing the following situations and the following facts:
While the residents and visitors of the island have been left from almost the beginning of the summer season 2024 at the mercy of the disregard of the “persons responsible”, the latter, now faced with the justifiably vehement expression of indignation of citizens, visitors and the entire opposition of the Municipal Council, came up, only now, at the end of August 2024, to announce and promise works, supplies and maintenance of the infrastructure...
Throughout this period of non-operation of the network, several residents and businessmen of the island were forced to resort to the solution of supplying water by tank trucks (with the encouragement of the Municipality and the Deputy Mayor), at a cost of 200 Euros per tank transfer, water of unknown, doubtful and precarious origin. They suggested, that is, the responsible parties themselves, as a “solution” to this major problem, the supply of water by tank trucks... a fact that, apart from the unfair financial burden on the citizens, raises justified concern as to the fulfilment of hygiene standards.
We the complainants, permanent residents and/or temporarily residing on the island of Kythera, strongly protest and complain against the Municipality of Kythera, the mayor Mr. Evstratios Harhalakis, the deputy mayors and his associates, the Technical Services Department of the Municipality and all other responsible persons for the fact that through their actions and, especially, through their omissions, they have deprived us and are depriving us of essential services such as water and sewerage, by not maintaining, as they should, the water supply and sewerage networks, leaving them in a state of disrepair, with constant breakdowns and leaks in the sewerage network and with repeated interruptions of our water supply, so that this year we have been deprived of water for more than five (5) weeks, which, combined with the non-operation of the sewerage network, creates an explosive mixture of insecurity and danger to our health, that is to say: conditions that violate any concept of decent living and, consequently, conditions that violate our personality.
Furthermore, the situation described above also devalues our properties on the island of Kythera.
For these reasons, we appeal to you and request the immediate intervention of the Citizen's Advocate's Office, in order to control the administration of the Municipal Authority of Kythira, with regard to the above-mentioned problem, to ascertain its acts and omissions that have led to the situation described above and to oblige in every legal way the O.T.A. Kythira and every competent natural person and/or legal entity to immediately take every legal and due action to restore the smooth, safe and dignified living on our island.
Athens, 27.08.2024
