During the 6th meeting of the Municipal Council, the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, detailed the “Double Redevelopment” program. Mr. Doukas highlighted the significant omissions and delays that have been identified in the implementation of the project and pledged that the project will proceed with a plan and determination.
The following is the full statement of the Mayor of Athens:
“I want to give you a first update on the big project of our Municipality, the Double Redevelopment Program.
It is an important Program for all the residents of Athens, with a significant contribution to development, environmental, economic, social, sports and cultural.
Undoubtedly, it is a complex Program, which, in order to be implemented, needs the active assistance of all involved bodies, according to its planning: the Municipality of Athens, the Greek State (i.e. the Government and many organizations of the wider public sector), the amateur association of Panathinaikos, PAE Panathinaikos and AEP Eleonas.
But when I say active participation I mean positive, constructive, dynamic participation and not negative or simply passive participation.
In the relatively short period of time that I have been involved with this Program, I have realized that not everyone has shown the same zeal for the project to run at the rapid pace that is necessary. At the same time, important starting points are being made for some of which I have to inform the Municipal Council and public opinion in detail today and in more detail in the next phase.
1. We found no documentation, no planning, coordination and substantial promotion of the complex and interrelated actions to be implemented.
2. We have not been given an overall implementation plan, a picture of what has been implemented to date and what is planned to be done, so that we can immediately continue any work that has been done.
3. We did not find in the Municipality of Athens, which has the overall coordination of the actions of the Program, any institutional administrative structure that coordinates the many agencies involved, to ensure that the actions are implemented in a timely manner and that there are no delays
4. The competent Departments of the Municipality, which by law must implement the studies, services and projects of the Program, were sidelined by the previous administration of the municipality, in a secondary role, As a result, the “sense of ownership” for the program is missing, which is necessary for such a great work.
Especially with regard to the construction of the new Panathinaikos stadium in Eleonas, I have to note that even the two main elements that should have been completed a long time ago, still have not been done. These are:
– Issuance of the building permit
– The decontamination of the area that will become the stadium.
The responsibility for the delay rests exclusively with the previous municipal authority, which:
1. For 9 months he obstructed the revision of building permits.
2. Awarded a decontamination contract with a delay of two years (it is a condition for the start of construction works), amounting to 5 million euros. The money ran out, but the cleanup wasn’t done. Without the previous municipal authority taking care of it, despite the warning signs that were there. Inactivity and indifference, for several months, even though he knew that the foundation works of the stadium cannot begin, without the decontamination of the site.
However, apart from the issue of the PAO stadium, there have also been major delays in the following actions concerning the entire Double Redevelopment Program:
1. They did not ensure that the tender for the hiring of technical consultants was held in time, a necessary condition for the proper execution of the project. It is unprecedented that for a year the contractor has been announced, but there is no technical consultant to monitor this large project.
2. The tender for the green areas and common areas had not proceeded.
3. In addition to the absence of reliable overall planning, there are serious indications of underestimation of the costs of the projects that lie ahead. In decontamination for example, there is no indication but a given large underestimation.
Despite the unfavorable situation received by the new municipal authority, it is already making decisive moves to speed up the start of the project. Our goal is to win this bet for Athens and its citizens.
To prove that the Municipality of Athens can carry out this great responsibility that it has undertaken, despite the great omissions and inactions that we have found before us. For this reason, as a new municipal authority of a few weeks, we work systematically and on a daily basis – with all the involved bodies and the services of the Municipality – to overcome the problems:
1. We are proceeding with the completion of the review of the building permits (submitted for approval).
2. We are advancing the tenders for the contracts for the greenery and common areas
3. We are proceeding with the tender for the technical consultant of the stadium and planning the tender for the technical consultant in the environmental projects
4. We organize the new plan to complete the decontamination.
5. We organize the service structures that will run the project at the speed it needs.
6. We are moving forward with the procedures for the settlement arrangements and expropriations that have been left far behind.
And we invite from this step all involved to assume their responsibilities and contribute creatively to our planning, to speed up the construction processes of the project.
We are committed that the project of Double Regeneration will go forward, no matter how many obstacles we face. We will surpass them, we will succeed with a plan, determination and a spirit of cooperation that we seek from every side.
Our goal is to win the Double Renewal bet, for the city and our citizens.”
#Doukas #double #reconstruction #proceed #matter #obstacles #find
