The Kythira Town Hall was visited at noon on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, by the Deputy Regional Governor of the Islands, Ms. Vasso Theodorakopoulou Bogris where he met with Mayor Efstratios Charchalakis. During the meeting, they discussed all of the municipality’s current issues, with an emphasis on major and important projects funded by the Region in our municipality (Kythira-Antikythira), which from 2015 to the present have exceeded the actual approved budget by 27.3 million euros.
They are currently in integration process the major roads in Agia Anastasia and Diakopoulianika (Under the same contract, the roads to Melidoni and Kaki Lagkada have been completed, at a cost of €2,475,000), the Renovation of the seawall at Agia Pelagia Beach (€100,000), the New sports center in Manitochori (€510,000), the Antikythira River Bypass (€285,000) and the Monument to the Sponge Divers (€75,000), while work will soon resume on the Makrona Bridge (€1,800,000) and the following will be put up for auction in June: 3 desalination plants in Agia Pelagia and Diakofti (1.720.000€). His major work was also put up for auction New water supply network in Agia Pelagia (€3,100,000) and a provisional contractor has already been selected and is expected to begin work this coming fall.
Furthermore The signing of the Program Agreement is expected for the projects «Mormori Avlemona Street» (€500,000) and «Municipal Road Construction in Kythira – Phase II» (€1,000,000), while the study on the New Daycare Center in Logothetianika (€300,000) and the study on the Flood control projects in Avlemonas, Agia Pelagia, and Ammo Square (€750,000). At the same time, the Municipal Port Authority will put up for auction in the coming weeks the port upgrade studies (€75,000).
In addition to the projects that have already been funded, there was also a preliminary discussion regarding the projects that will be proposed by the Municipality for the 2022 budget. Among other things, the mayor, following a request from the Community and the residents of Mitata, requested that the project be included «Restoration of the Earthquake-Damaged Holy Church of the Holy Trinity in Mitata» and handed Ms. Bogris the relevant approved budget proposal in the amount of 650,000€.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Mayor of Kythira, in his capacity as President of the Cooperation Network of Municipalities of the Regional Unit of the Attica Islands, signed the contract awarding the project «Kythira Municipal Slaughterhouse» with the contractor ILIDA A.T.E. The scope of the contract, which has a budget of €40,000, is the full development of the Slaughterhouse project at the site «Pilus, Fratsia Postal Code» and, more specifically, obtaining the environmental permit for the project and preparing a complete design-and-construction dossier. For the implementation of this study in the Municipality of Kythira, as well as corresponding studies and services in all municipalities of the Regional Unit of the Attica Islands, the Islands Network became a Technical Assistance Beneficiary of the Operational Program «Attica 2014–2020» under the title «Project Maturation Actions for Municipalities of the Regional Unit of the Attica Islands» in accordance with the relevant legislation governing it, which classifies Municipal Networks as flexible local government institutions with the aim of achieving faster and more effective project development for the benefit of the public interestand citizens, a fact that has also been accepted by the established case law of the Court of Auditors. It is worth noting that the contract was signed just two months after the relevant tender was conducted by the Islands Network, whereas the award of a similar public contract by the municipality or another entity in the broader public sector takes, on average, more than 15 months.
After the meeting The mayor of Kythira stated the following: «It is with great pleasure that I once again welcome the Deputy Regional Governor for the Islands, Ms. Bogri, and I thank her warmly for the Region’s substantial support of our Municipality to date through the funding of major infrastructure projects that our Municipality has planned, developed, and approved by our Municipality in collaboration with the Regional authorities. Despite the pandemic, the Municipality of Kythira continues to carry out its public works program through ongoing project tenders and new contracts, with the aim of improving the quality of life for our residents».
The Deputy Regional Governor for the Islands issued the following statement: «I am visiting Kythira once again as part of the Region’s ongoing commitment—and that of Regional Governor Mr. Patoulis personally—to even the most remote parts of the Attica Region. As the Mayor emphasized—with whom I, the Regional Governor, and the Region’s agencies maintain daily and excellent cooperation—, The Region is a steadfast ally and supporter of every request and need of the Municipality of Kythira, as evidenced by the projects worth many millions that are funded and carried out not only in Kythira but also in Antikythera, and which currently total more than 27.3 million euros. On the occasion of the signing of the contract for the completion of the important Slaughterhouse project, which for the first time in nearly 30 years is entering a substantive implementation phase, I would like to publicly congratulate all 8 municipalities of the Regional Unit Attica Islands Regional Unit because the Cooperation Network they established in 2016 has emerged as the most important intermunicipal institution in the wider region, not only through the successful implementation of the program CLLD/LEADER but also thanks to the recent significant funding from the Region to bring major projects on our islands to fruition such as urban renewal projects, port and sports infrastructure, the redevelopment of municipal buildings, etc. Kythira is benefiting through the Islands Network, which is funding the completion of the slaughterhouse project as well as the restoration of the historic Karava Girls’ School building for cultural use. The most important thing, however, is the Preparation of the Strategic Development Plan for the 8 Municipalities of the Regional Unit of the Attica Islands, which has also been funded by the Technical Assistance program of the Attica Regional Operational Program (ROP) and is already being developed by the Islands Network as the implementing agency; it will serve as a useful development tool for the Region, the municipalities, and the wider region for years to come.».
