“The government has taken a dangerous way to undermine the institution”
The problems of local government and the claims in view of the TIF were raised by Harry Doukas, at a press conference given by the “self -government now” faction today. Together with the Mayor of Athens were the mayors of Neapolis-Sykes Simos Danilidis, Moschato-Taurus Andreas Efthimiou, Zografou Tina Kafatsakis, Agia Antonis Goudaras, former Mayor of Agios Dimitrios
“The self -government and its heretics we live days of depreciation,” said Mr. Duke And then, according to RES EIA, he stressed, among other things: “The government has taken a dangerous path to undermining the institution and manipulation of the elected officials. It leads municipalities to economic strangulation, excluding them from the € 7.9 billion surplus, which it triumphs. It excludes municipalities from the planning and management of very critical issues for our cities, such as water and waste, which are delivered to large private interests, against the official and unanimous decisions of KEDE, just as was the case with energy.
It recruits any administrative and legislative means to neutralize our interventions, such as that of Queen Olga, ignoring the will of the citizens, as well as broader interventions to protect cities, such as NOK to reduce cement in our cities. And now she is preparing to complete her attack in order to control anyone who resists. It promotes an electoral law that abolishes the second round of municipal elections. It is only left to abolish the officials themselves and to appoint mayors of her choice. “
The Mayor of Athens then said: “Our ” self -government now ‘lineup cannot be reconciled with this policy and we decided to give the present in Thessaloniki at the inauguration of the TIF. There, along with all social actors, we will demonstrate to send a clear message: how the self -government is not a state annex, it is not a ministry address. We are immediately elected by our citizens, with the order to make their lives and the place where they live, better. Our objections and our reactions have no trace of exaggeration. Evidence shows that municipalities are mathematically accurately led to a deadlock of social and economic bankruptcy. “
And he concluded: “That is why our TIF message is pure, it must return to municipalities and citizens part of the surplus, as defined by applicable laws. And to do this, it takes to set up a large united self -governing front. “
Asked by KEDE, Mr Doukas said that despite what was agreed at the Rhodes Congress, KEDE has no homosexuality on these issues and claims.
Asked about Queen Olga Avenue and what has happened, the Mayor of Athens replied: “The process we followed with the Queen Olga is lawful and is the projected procedure followed in these cases.”
And after referring to the peculiarities of the case and that “there is no private roads,” he said shortly afterwards, he said: “It is not time for unnecessary conflicts. We believe that it is a project that will help significantly in circulation congestion and of course we will move on. Here we are to improve the quality of life. We cannot go against the quality of life and against the will of the citizens to reduce the traffic problem in that zone. “
In the end he added: “Citizens will have the reason. With a series of initiatives with the world in the neighborhoods, to inform the citizens and talk to them. “
For his part, the Mayor of Neapolis-Sykes and a member of the KEDE Executive Committee, Simos Danilidis, expressed his anxiety about the future of the municipalities and shortly afterwards said: “For more than 10 years from the Memorandums, the local government after the institutional and the institutionalist Economy with surpluses. “
Kostas Zachariadis said: “We ask for money for self -government, resources and responsibilities, as in most European countries. But we also seek respect for the institution itself. Following the 2023 municipal elections, it has erupted, on the occasion of the change in the municipality of Athens, an incredible revenge against the Municipality of Athens and the mayor’s face, but also against the institution of self -government as a whole. “
The Mayor of Moschato-Taurus and a member of PEA Administration Andreas Efthimiou, stressed: “It was the local government that supported society in the memorandum, the energy crisis, the refugee. It is therefore also in the interest of the central administration to cooperate. But we are claiming and demanding what the state has established so that the municipalities can work for the benefit of the citizens. “
The Mayor of Zografou and KEDE administration member, Tina Kafatsakis, said: “Local government, municipalities and municipal councils cannot do their job. They cannot make sidewalks, they cannot clean cities, they cannot enhance the structures for vulnerable groups. “
The Mayor of Agia and a member of KEDE Administration, Antonis Goudaras, said: “We as a lineup have many times suggested specific ways of reaction and pressure to highlight these issues and get out of the closed KEDE system.”
And the former mayor of St. Demetrios and a member of PEDA, Maria Androutsou, added: “There are elected officials who are focused on their self -governing role and obviously there are elected colleagues who believe that they can only address party audiences. Through the mobilizations that follow, we address the people and the citizens, because they are our power. “