Corfu Mayor’s waste management meeting this morning
waste management
08 Mar 2018
/ 16:52
CORFU. Mayor Kostas Nikolouzos met with a wide range of representatives at the Old Town Hall today.
The meeting included representatives from tourist businesses, hotels, tourist accommodation and other businesses as well as representatives from Temploni organizations. Leaders of the local political parties were also present along with the Regional Deputy Governor, Nikoletta Pandi. The Corfu MPs had also been invited but couldn’t attend due to their obligations in parliament.
The Mayor started by updating the participants on the negative result from the meeting at the Ministry of the Interior regarding the removal of waste from Corfu. He also pointed out the need for the operation of the Lefkimmi landfill - but with public consent. “It’s not possible for this to be achieved by violent means.”
He went on to discuss the road map for waste management and funding, which was in essence the reason that residents agreed to lift their blockade of the Temploni landfill.
Regarding Lefkimmi landfill, he talked about the work that needs to be done in order for the facility to receive a licence – restoration of the road and water and power supply. “DEI (public electricity company) has been given the order to proceed. However, they have asked for police protection.”
There followed an intense discussion in which the need for more recycling came up several times mainly from Meropi Ydraiou but also from Nikoletta Pandi. Meropi Ydraiou also reiterated that the Regional Waste Management Plan (PESDA) needed to be reviewed as regards the islands.
The leader of the Laiki Syspirosi party left before the meeting ended, protesting against the calling of the meeting when it should be the responsibility of the Town Council.
Businesses worried about the effect on tourism
Representatives from hotel and tourist accommodation businesses expressed their concern in view of the approaching ‘nightmare’ with rubbish during the tourist season.
The President of the Tourist Accommodation Federation, Pericles Katsaros, wondered how the situation could be handled when tourists will be arriving in two months’ time and declared himself in favour of the Lefkimmi landfill being licensed to operate. “We cannot handle any more bad publicity,” he said. “Why are the Lefkimmi representatives absent from this meeting? We’ve come to a meeting with no solutions. Why don’t we license the Lefkimmi landfill?”
There were similar comments from the President of the Hotel Owners’ Union, Panayiotis Bramos, who demanded immediate solutions. “There is a danger in receiving tourists but on the other hand it is essential for our livelihood that our businesses operate. My 400 colleagues and I have a problem now – what’s going to happen in two months? What kind of tourism policy can we have in these conditions?”
The Mayor started by updating the participants on the negative result from the meeting at the Ministry of the Interior regarding the removal of waste from Corfu. He also pointed out the need for the operation of the Lefkimmi landfill - but with public consent. “It’s not possible for this to be achieved by violent means.”
He went on to discuss the road map for waste management and funding, which was in essence the reason that residents agreed to lift their blockade of the Temploni landfill.
Regarding Lefkimmi landfill, he talked about the work that needs to be done in order for the facility to receive a licence – restoration of the road and water and power supply. “DEI (public electricity company) has been given the order to proceed. However, they have asked for police protection.”
There followed an intense discussion in which the need for more recycling came up several times mainly from Meropi Ydraiou but also from Nikoletta Pandi. Meropi Ydraiou also reiterated that the Regional Waste Management Plan (PESDA) needed to be reviewed as regards the islands.
The leader of the Laiki Syspirosi party left before the meeting ended, protesting against the calling of the meeting when it should be the responsibility of the Town Council.
Businesses worried about the effect on tourism
Representatives from hotel and tourist accommodation businesses expressed their concern in view of the approaching ‘nightmare’ with rubbish during the tourist season.
The President of the Tourist Accommodation Federation, Pericles Katsaros, wondered how the situation could be handled when tourists will be arriving in two months’ time and declared himself in favour of the Lefkimmi landfill being licensed to operate. “We cannot handle any more bad publicity,” he said. “Why are the Lefkimmi representatives absent from this meeting? We’ve come to a meeting with no solutions. Why don’t we license the Lefkimmi landfill?”
There were similar comments from the President of the Hotel Owners’ Union, Panayiotis Bramos, who demanded immediate solutions. “There is a danger in receiving tourists but on the other hand it is essential for our livelihood that our businesses operate. My 400 colleagues and I have a problem now – what’s going to happen in two months? What kind of tourism policy can we have in these conditions?”
