On Thursday morning, the coastal road of Piso Gialos in Kapsali, Kythira, became the scene of intense confrontation and public outcry. The attempt by the crew of the contractor «Chorotechniki» to begin construction of the sewer network’s collection pipeline in June was met with a vigorous and organized response from local residents and business owners, who «blocked» the project, leading to a stormy, emergency meeting at City Hall. Deputy Mayor Georgios Kominos (Zorbas) had been at the project site in Kapsali that morning.
The residents of Kapsali held a protest rally at City Hall, while a delegation from the community participated in a tense meeting chaired by Mayor Efstratios Charchalakis, attended by municipal engineers and representatives of the contractor. Also present at the meeting was City Councilmember and leader of the minority opposition, Anargyros Sofios, despite the Mayor’s initial refusal to allow him into the room. After Mr. Sofios’s strong insistence and once the initial tension on both sides had subsided, the faction leader remained in the proceedings as usual, with the mayor ultimately accepting his entirely justified request.
The Recovery Fund's «ultimatum»
The atmosphere at the meeting became heated right from the start, when the mayor made it clear that the project has a binding completion milestone on June 30, 2026 from the Recovery Fund, implying that any further extension is impossible.
«The Recovery Fund closes on June 30. If the project is not operational (that is, if the pumping stations, the well at the depot, and the treatment plant in Kapsali are not functioning), the project will go down the drain. The European Commission needs to know that the project is operational,» the mayor emphasized.
In addition, Mr. Stathis, head of the municipality’s Technical Department, told the representatives from Kapsali: «The Secretary General of the Ministry told me that if the network isn’t completed by June 30, you’ll have to return the money…»
The company pointed out that the project faced significant delays due to last year’s heavy rainfall, problems with road repairs, as well as a severe labor shortage.
Business owners are in despair: «You’re ruining our season»
The prospect of the only road leading to the accommodations, businesses, and the Kapsali fishing harbor being dug up at the start of the tourist season has sparked outrage among residents. Business owners emphasized that they wait all year to work for just two months, and they already have reservations.
- Road closure: Residents complained that the excavation work is blocking access to their homes, and there is no alternative route. «There’s a person with a disability here—how will they get around? If there’s a fire, how will the fire truck get through?» they asked heatedly.
- Noise pollution and dust: They expressed their strong opposition to having air compressors operating right next to the tourists« rooms. »We’ll drive people away; we’ll ruin ourselves,” shouted those present.
The contractor's settlement proposal
In order to defuse the situation, the representative of «Chorotechniki» submitted a two-phase compromise proposal: first, an intensive 15-day work period on the section of the rooms (from the «red boat» to the slide), while simultaneously ensuring a 1.5-meter-wide passageway for pedestrians; and then, the completion of the remaining section with immediate restoration of access to the homes. The contractor made it clear, however, that in order to stay on schedule, work must continue nonstop from morning until night, which will cause ongoing disruption to the area.
A Way Forward Through a Letter of Protest
Despite the pressure, the residents remained adamant, refusing to allow work to begin in the middle of summer and demanding that the project be postponed until October.
The meeting concluded with the only viable solution being the temporary suspension of the project and the drafting a direct, detailed letter of protest from the perspective of residents and business owners. The Municipality has committed to forwarding this document as a matter of urgency to the relevant Ministry, formally requesting an extension for this specific section of the project, despite the June 30 deadline.
The situation in Kapsali remains tense, with residents stating that they are determined to protect the area and the summer season, making it clear that they will not allow the machinery to begin work.
