With the slogan “380+ projects in Epirus by 2030”, the multi-member government echelon led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was in Ioannina on Wednesday, presented the development plan that the ND aspires to implement in the next four years. in Epirus, while at the same time there was an assessment of the government’s work from 2019 until today.
The Prime Minister’s intervention
The concession of the Velissario camp to the Municipality of Ioannito so that it can be used for the benefit of the city was the most important announcement made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis when presenting the development plan for Epirus in 2030.
“Epirus will turn from a backwater into a protagonist” said the Prime Minister giving a brief summary of the government’s work.
“I would like the citizens of Epirus to evaluate the work we did and compare it with that of the previous four years. Compare who has a plan for the future. We designed these in collaboration with the region. I believe in regional development” said the Prime Minister concluding his speech.
The District Governor
In his statement, Mr. Kahrimanis praised the government and the Prime Minister personally, emphasizing among other things the following:
“In the previous terms, at most we saw the Prime Minister once during your term, together we gave solutions with other District Governors, you came to Ioannina on October 28, we talked to you about the coffee shops in the villages, they were also asked for OGA and TEB and in 10 days a circular was issued up to 300 residents only OGA, this reopens the coffee shops in our villages.
In tourism, things are going very well on the coast, we are happy about the Tel-Aviv-Ioannina connection. The situation begins and changes completely, in this you have played a major role.
When it comes to the Ioannina-Kakavia roads, we had an incredible collaboration, it’s easy to write that we want everything but it’s not like that. In 2015, the traffic load law was changed, we fought it for a long time and said we would make it a breeze. We, the Region, delivered many pieces and I am glad that we are doing a study for a three-track with nodes for a four-track and since we did not have the expropriations in the Kalpaki-Kakavia section, we did it by option.
For the Kampi-Filippiados-Preveza Section, it was commissioned in 2007, but the Ministry’s services did not proceed as they should have, we requested that the previous contractor be closed.
For the train when you have a national disaster and then the Prime Minister of course has to say what he said. Let it go back and forth, the study may become relevant today, but who will do it? Any private person? We are interested in Kampi-Preveza, it is unfair Preveza, Preveza-Igoumenitsa-Mavromati and also the roads for the interior, Lakka-Suli, in Tzoumerka.
You have anxiety about the elections, we have it too, those of us who are seriously involved in changing the direction of the country, we see that you are doing things right”.
George Georgantas
THE Giorgos Georgantas, minister of rural development, noted among others:
“In Epirus there is poultry farming for 40% of the country’s production, with issues such as the legalization of farms that must be resolved and can be resolved. We will come up with something compatible with the law and it will reflect the existing situation. In relation to the creation of infrastructure in Epirus, the fiscal interventions we made to reduce income tax are catalytic and will give opportunities to the agricultural sector, but the irrigation projects being implemented are the largest program since 1960. 13 such projects were approved the day before yesterday for Epirus that will help the region, agricultural networks are becoming large and we also contribute to these issues, while all the young farmers who submitted an application have all joined”.
George Amyras
Giorgos Amyras, Deputy Minister of the Environment, announced the financing of 1 million euros for the electrification of Lake Pamvotida.
“As soon as the licensing of the boats on the lake is finished, we are ready to finance the new boats to go into the era of electrification.
The internal waters must be monitored by the Police, but they do not have a boat for this, through OFYPEKA with funding of 36 million euros from Recovery, we are proceeding to procure 40 boats for the Natura areas, one of them will come to Epirus at the AT Ioannina for patrols in our Lake.
Just yesterday the open tender was released to procure two amphibious machines for the reed beds, one for Pamvotida Lake and one for the Evros Delta.
And in addition we are starting through the management unit, an ichthyological study for Pamvotida because we need to know the species of fish.
For the special Environmental Study and the Presidential Decree of Ioannina, I have to say that we are ending the public consultation on April 30, here in Epirus we have 4.3 million acres to protect”, he said among other things.
George Karagiannis
Giorgos Karagiannis, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, in his own speech referred to the major projects that directly concern Epirus, which he said are the northern road axis, E65, the major project connecting Ioannina with Kakavia and the port of Igoumenitsa.
For E65, he said that he will upgrade the Region of Epirus in relation to the rest of Greece and the rest of the countries.
Regarding Ioannina-Kakavia, he spoke of a project that has “raised a lot of dust”, adding that we are currently in the tender process, for which there is a lot of interest.
“We are in the tender process, we have secured the resources from the Recovery Fund and by the end of the year we will start the work”, he said characteristically.
Regarding the port of Igoumenitsa, he said that the third phase will be completed by the end of November.
Mr. Karagiannis talked about the essential work of his ministry in Epirus and at the level of studies that will be included as targets in the next four years.
“The Kampi-Preveza road will be matured by the Region, but we have matured Kalpaki-Konitsa, the Igoumenitsa bypass, close to 35 million and we are proceeding with the Igoumenitsa-Mavromati study, We are proceeding with the Athamani project and the demarcation of Arachthos and the project water supply of Preveza-Arta and Lefkada regions 140 million Euros which will solve the water supply problem in all regions of Western Greece”, he concluded.
Yannis Plakiotakis,
Yannis Plakiotakis, Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, referred to the concession of the port of Igoumenitsa, speaking of
Utilization, not sale.
For P.E. of Preveza, noted that the upgrade and expansion of the wharf at the Port of Parga, as well as the energy upgrade of the Merchant Marine Academy building, are progressing.
Nikos Papathanasis,
Nikos Papathanasis, Deputy Minister of Development, referred to the investments made in Epirus in recent years, emphasizing the following:
«In the last 3 years, 186 investment projects of more than 316 million were advanced in Epirus, namely 105 in the PE of Ioannina, 23 PE of Arta, 38 PE of Thesprotia, 20 in the PE of Preveza.
In the new Development Law we announced four regimes in 2022, in the first cycle in the region we have a record number of applications in Epirus. Within April, two new regimes will be announced.”
Stelios Petsas
Stelios Petsas, Deputy Minister of the Interior Deputy Minister of the Interior stood at 149 million euros from “Tritsis” concerning Epirus and at 37 million euros from the Recovery Fund.
Lina Mendoni
Lina Mendoni, Minister of Culture, referred again to the interventions of her ministry in Epirus, as she also did yesterday at the broad meeting held in the Region of Epirus
Lefteris Avgenakis
The Deputy Minister of Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis pointed out the upgrading of the facilities of the PEAK Ioannina and the closing of the fencing that was moved to Ioannina, while he also spoke about the sports projects carried out within the Philodimos 2 program throughout Epirus.
Sophia Zaharaki
Sofia Zaharaki, Deputy Minister of Tourism, noted among other things:
“The part of agritourism, ecotourism, alternative forms of tourism, the part of marine tourism, pilgrimage, cultural and also religious tourism. All this a big “fan” together with conference tourism. I also strongly believe in educational tourism, young people get to know the area from the levels of education and then repeat the visit with their family. Especially for the last few years there is also the “tourism for all” program, strengthening domestic tourism and I must say that Epirus is in a very high position compared to the position of Epirus in general. In the classification of GDP in terms of tourism it is in 5th place, while in the other classification it is 9th. We can give more energy to the region with these programs.”
Lefteris Economou
Lefteris Oikonomou, Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection, finally characterized Epirus as a safe area of the country with low crime rates. “In the region, ELAS forces were reinforced with 119 police officers, bringing the total number to 1976 in Epirus, covering over 92% of the prescribed positions,” he noted.
