Retreats the Domestic, through an announcement by the Municipality

The Municipality of Kythira issued a press release referring to an «informational and working» meeting between the mayor, Efstratios Charchalakis, and the chairman of the Kythira and Antikythira Local Property Committee, Evangelos Venardos, with the participation of the chairman of the Tourism Committee — City Council Member of the majority, Mr. Evangelos Lourantos.

The announcement in detail:

Briefing and Working Meeting Between the Mayor and the Chair of the Local Property Committee

The Mayor of Kythira, Mr. Efstratios Charchalakis, held an informational and working meeting with the Chairman of the Kythira and Antikythira Local Property Committee, Mr. Evangelos Venardos, on Friday, February 19, with the participation of the Chairman of the Tourism Committee and majority City Council member, Mr. Evangelos Lourantos.

During the meeting, all issues of mutual interest were discussed, as well as the Commission’s intention to lease the cave on the islet of Avgo (Chytra). Following mutual cooperation, the following is announced:

1. Domestic Property is owned by full ownership by the municipality (Article 84 of Law 1416/84), who, however, has no right to manage it, and the legislature has designated as the public legal entity known as the «Committee for Local Property of Kythira and Antikythira» as the sole administrator of the property» which operates as a special-purpose local government agency, and whose administration (President and Members) derives its democratic legitimacy as «elected by the elected»—that is, elected by the special electoral body (Mayor, City Council, Community Presidents, and Community Members). In fact, the current administration was elected relatively recently, and President Venardos was nominated and supported by both the Municipal Majority faction and the Largest Minority faction, which is represented on the Committee by one regular member and one alternate member. We would like to remind you that the Minor Minority faction did not nominate a candidate for Chair of the Committee..
2. In accordance with Article 16 of Presidential Decree 272/85, The Commission does not act on behalf of the Municipality, nor does it take instructions from it, but operates completely independently and autonomously, since its authority to manage all domestic assets is exclusive and binding. In this context, in fact, The current mayor, who served as a member, vice chair, and chair of the committee from 2011 to 2014, was one of those who strongly opposed the efforts of certain (elected and non-elected) to subjugate the Local Authority to the whims of the incumbent mayor, transforming it into a legal entity fully subordinate to each municipal administration. This was averted through a series of decisive actions by both the current mayor and the Committee’s administration at the time.
3. What has been written publicly in recent days about the National Property Agency is extremely unfair, and is primarily expressed by people who not only are unaware of the basic parameters of the institution’s operation, but have never sought to learn about it—or, worse still, adopt views and perceptions that deliberately seek to undermine the Commission’s credibility and work.. The Commission will soon publish a detailed report and provide an update on all of its projects and activities, as well as its actual revenues, which bear absolutely no relation to what is being publicly circulated in an attempt to portray Egchoria as «the goose that lays the golden eggs.» The people of Kythira trust the Institution of the Local Property Fund and are (and should be) particularly proud of it, since Kythira is the only place in Greece that has the great privilege of managing its public lands on its own, without the slightest involvement of the government, which only causes problems for the rest of Greece. The Commission operates in a highly transparent and clear manner, and proof of this is that The occasional complaints and accusations leveled against Egchorio (by its ‘usual suspects’) have been resoundingly refuted.
4. There is also a prevailing perception that certain attractions or public spaces constitute a sort of «property» belonging to those who have been promoting, utilizing, or commercially exploiting them for years. This is not the case anywhere in Greece and applies to absolutely no space whatsoever. Public lands, islets, beaches, and coastal zones, etc. are owned by the Municipality, which institutionally represents all residents; in other words, they belong collectively to the people of Kythira, on whose behalf the Committee manages them. They have no «legitimate owner,» nor is it possible for there to be any preferential treatment in their commercial promotion and exploitation by any private individual. Every individual and professional involved in promoting our island's tourism offerings is worthy of praise, especially when it does so during a period of economic instability, but also The Commission is required by law to collect revenue from domestic property, both to cover its operating costs (staff salaries, taxes, ENFIA, public utility expenses, etc.) and to carry out projects which, as mentioned above, will be announced in detail. If the Commission abandons the process of collecting its revenues, it will inevitably be led to inaction and ultimately to abolition with very unpleasant consequences for our region. As for this summer, which—due to the coronavirus—will not be ideal, Any relief or benefit established by the Government regarding the payment of rent will also apply to all of the Commission’s leases, as was the case in 2020 with the 60% reduction in rent pursuant to a decision by the Ministry of the Interior (unfortunately, there was no corresponding reduction in the prices of services provided to citizens, but that is beyond the scope of this discussion).
5. Furthermore, In particular, the issue of Chytra also has another very important aspect which very few people have realized. The existence of even minimal economic activity on the small islands—and especially on the rocky islets— is linked not only to national issues but also to matters of international law and the law of the sea, while at the same time safeguarding their ownership against the government’s occasional claims. We recall that in 2012, the Ministry of Finance attempted to sell Chytra to private individuals, and the sale was averted at the last minute thanks to the vigorous legal actions andby the Committee, represented by attorney Dimitrios Th. Lourantos. Had that happened, today both the Sembreviva collection and the tourist development of the Cave would have fallen into the hands of insatiable private interests, with unpredictable social and economic consequences. So those who today insult or mock «Echorio,» let them at least consider this. And let them consider that even the cleanliness of our island (which is directly linked to tourism) is largely due to the Local Property Authority, without which we would not have a state-of-the-art waste management facility (Lachnos), and the island would be in a complete predicament, as it would have to send its waste to Fyli every day! It is therefore advisable that the unfounded and heated accusations and slander against the Local Council, as well as the insults to the dignity and character of its members (which, of course, should be accompanied by corresponding evidence), be brought to an end, because beyond being untrue, they can also serve as an “argument” for those who have long sought to abolish the Local Estate. And then, those who so readily slander the Egchoria will bear an enormous and incalculable responsibility toward all the people of Kythira.
6. Finally, the Commission, by listening to society—and not by being at odds with it, as some are artificially trying to prove—, has not issued a notice of auction for the Cave of Chytra. By its decision It expressed its intention to impose certain conditions on the commercial exploitation of the Cave (as it is required by law to do) and nothing else. Consequently, the matter is still in the planning stage.. The completion of this process will depend on many factors—not only legal ones, but primarily those of a technical and practical nature (e.g., the prevention of monopolies, etc.), among which obviously falls the views of the Municipality, the Tourism Committee, and the collective organizations that have the opportunity to express themselves institutionally directly to the Committee. From the commercial-professional use of public spaces managed by the Committee, a reasonable annual rent should be paid to the Local Property Committee, and, of course, competition must be strictlyin accordance with national and EU law.