Corfu Mayor: Good wishes and objectives for 2018
New Year
02 Jan 2018
/ 09:33
CORFU. “In 2018 we will continue our efforts to ensure that everyone can live with dignity and hope. The journey may be difficult, but we can make it better,” said Kostas Nikolouzos, Mayor of Corfu, in his New Year message.
Dear citizens and friends,
The year 2017, which has just ended, has been another difficult one for our island, the country and the whole world.
It was a year with a lot of tensions in neighbouring countries and natural disasters in Greece and Corfu. The refugee problem and the economic crisis continue to hold a stranglehold on our country, forcing a large part of the population to live below the poverty line.
Nevertheless, the new brings with it aspiration, optimism and hope for the future. With this in mind, we will continue our life journey and welcome the year 2018, once again renewing our hopes and wishes.
I hope that in the new year we can surpass ourselves and use all of our reserves of strength and hope - not to give up in the face of obstacles and not to deprive any of our fellow humans of their right to dream. Let us not allow our lives to be degraded. Let us not compromise our human dignity. Let us retain our belief in the power of solidarity. I would like to take this opportunity to ask my fellow citizens to support the social and volunteer networks in our municipality.
Dear friends,
As in previous years, our municipality continues to function in a negative environment. The continuous decrease in financial and human resources along with the stifling controls within the decentralized administration, have denigrated the latter and destroyed its grassroots nature.
Within this environment, we will fight once again this year – a fight which it is our duty to win in order to turn the difficulties into hope and prospects.
The government’s commitments
If the commitments of the government, which were announced by the prime minister at the recent Regional Development Conference, are put into practice, then I am optimistic that our everyday lives will change in 2018.
These commitments include: funding for Integrated Waste Management, Integrated Territorial Investment (which will focus on Corfu Town, exploiting its cultural potential and special identity), the first stage of the water supply project (47m Euros), the improvement of the ports at Agios Stefanos and Lefkimmi, educational and cultural projects (4 new school buildings, restoration of the Municipal Theatre, 50% of the funds for the restoration of the Phoenix, Petsalis Villa and Dalietou Villa), accession of control of the port to the municipality and the creation of a ferry service network between the Ionian Islands from March to October. Responsibility for the Art Café will also pass to the municipality and we will participate in the management of the New Fortress. There will be an increase in funds to cover the increased need for repairs to school buildings and the Ionian Islands College (TEI) will merge with the Ionian University. Finally, tenders have been invited for the infrastructure projects at Agia Katerina, Annunziata, the Ionian Parliament and the Mon Repos building.
These are all projects that will improve the quality of our lives and we have made every effort to ensure that they are completed in 2018.
Social policies – culture – tourism
Apart from infrastructure projects, I would like to highlight 3 important areas of our municipality’s policies: social policies, culture and tourism. With our social policies we provide continuous support for those in need and our efforts for their relief remain tireless. In 2018 we will exploit all available resources and make every possible effort to support our local community.
The municipality’s social services - the food bank, the community shop, the social pharmacy along with the daily support for the homeless - are fully functional. We will be acquiring additional ‘sea chairs’ for those with special needs and by February we will have submitted our proposal for the creation of 4 beaches suitably equipped for those with special needs.
Also central to our policies is support for culture. We believe that Art and Artistic Creation encourage social participation, peaceful co-existence and provide the psychological uplift that we all need in our everyday lives. They make us better and more useful people.
Finally, there is tourism. The way things are at present, the need is clearly indicated for a clear, long-term strategy which will make full use of the natural advantages that Greek and Corfu tourism possess. This is something that we need to manage on a local level. The ‘quantity’ model that we have been following up to now is no longer valid and we need to adapt to the new trends in the tourism market and sustainable tourism development. This is what we are now focussing on.
Dear friends,
In 2018 we will continue our efforts to improve the lives of our island’s residents so that we can all live with dignity and hope. The journey may be difficult, but we can make it better.
A Happy New Year to All
The year 2017, which has just ended, has been another difficult one for our island, the country and the whole world.
It was a year with a lot of tensions in neighbouring countries and natural disasters in Greece and Corfu. The refugee problem and the economic crisis continue to hold a stranglehold on our country, forcing a large part of the population to live below the poverty line.
Nevertheless, the new brings with it aspiration, optimism and hope for the future. With this in mind, we will continue our life journey and welcome the year 2018, once again renewing our hopes and wishes.
I hope that in the new year we can surpass ourselves and use all of our reserves of strength and hope - not to give up in the face of obstacles and not to deprive any of our fellow humans of their right to dream. Let us not allow our lives to be degraded. Let us not compromise our human dignity. Let us retain our belief in the power of solidarity. I would like to take this opportunity to ask my fellow citizens to support the social and volunteer networks in our municipality.
Dear friends,
As in previous years, our municipality continues to function in a negative environment. The continuous decrease in financial and human resources along with the stifling controls within the decentralized administration, have denigrated the latter and destroyed its grassroots nature.
Within this environment, we will fight once again this year – a fight which it is our duty to win in order to turn the difficulties into hope and prospects.
The government’s commitments
If the commitments of the government, which were announced by the prime minister at the recent Regional Development Conference, are put into practice, then I am optimistic that our everyday lives will change in 2018.
These commitments include: funding for Integrated Waste Management, Integrated Territorial Investment (which will focus on Corfu Town, exploiting its cultural potential and special identity), the first stage of the water supply project (47m Euros), the improvement of the ports at Agios Stefanos and Lefkimmi, educational and cultural projects (4 new school buildings, restoration of the Municipal Theatre, 50% of the funds for the restoration of the Phoenix, Petsalis Villa and Dalietou Villa), accession of control of the port to the municipality and the creation of a ferry service network between the Ionian Islands from March to October. Responsibility for the Art Café will also pass to the municipality and we will participate in the management of the New Fortress. There will be an increase in funds to cover the increased need for repairs to school buildings and the Ionian Islands College (TEI) will merge with the Ionian University. Finally, tenders have been invited for the infrastructure projects at Agia Katerina, Annunziata, the Ionian Parliament and the Mon Repos building.
These are all projects that will improve the quality of our lives and we have made every effort to ensure that they are completed in 2018.
Social policies – culture – tourism
Apart from infrastructure projects, I would like to highlight 3 important areas of our municipality’s policies: social policies, culture and tourism. With our social policies we provide continuous support for those in need and our efforts for their relief remain tireless. In 2018 we will exploit all available resources and make every possible effort to support our local community.
The municipality’s social services - the food bank, the community shop, the social pharmacy along with the daily support for the homeless - are fully functional. We will be acquiring additional ‘sea chairs’ for those with special needs and by February we will have submitted our proposal for the creation of 4 beaches suitably equipped for those with special needs.
Also central to our policies is support for culture. We believe that Art and Artistic Creation encourage social participation, peaceful co-existence and provide the psychological uplift that we all need in our everyday lives. They make us better and more useful people.
Finally, there is tourism. The way things are at present, the need is clearly indicated for a clear, long-term strategy which will make full use of the natural advantages that Greek and Corfu tourism possess. This is something that we need to manage on a local level. The ‘quantity’ model that we have been following up to now is no longer valid and we need to adapt to the new trends in the tourism market and sustainable tourism development. This is what we are now focussing on.
Dear friends,
In 2018 we will continue our efforts to improve the lives of our island’s residents so that we can all live with dignity and hope. The journey may be difficult, but we can make it better.
A Happy New Year to All
