Corfu Mayor: The truth and the lies about the Orphanage
orphanage
30 Jan 2019
/ 10:21
CORFU. Following recent social media posts about Corfu Orphanage, the Chairman of the Board and Corfu Mayor Kostas Nikolouzos issued the following statement:
There has been a lot of discussion about Corfu Orphanage on social media over the last few days. The two topics of discussion have been the removal from the Orphanage of children over 12 years of age and how the Orphanage operates and uses its assets. As this is a very sensitive social matter and the public mustn't be allowed to fall victim to fake news or disinformation, the Chairman and Corfu Mayor Kostas Nikolouzos has issued the following statement:
1. It is a lie that children were removed from the Orphanage because they had completed primary school. The truth is that, with expert advice from the psychologist and in collaboration with the Prosecutor for Minors, four children left - aged 18, 15½, 14½ and 13½ for serious reasons which we cannot publish. These children returned to their families as they weren't orphans. It is also the truth that today we have 20 children (11 boys and 9 girls) from throughout Greece, aged from 4½ to 16, even though the Orphanage regulations state that the age limit is 12. We go over that age limit and accommodate teenagers up to 18 years of age as long as the safety and welfare of all the children is not at risk.
2. It is a lie that the Orphanage requests assistance from the public to cover its needs. The truth is that the Corfu public have been aware of the work of the Orphanage for a long time and whenever possible show their support by offering gifts for the children. At Christmas there were so many gifts that we sent some to the World's Ark in Epirus.
3. It is a lie that the children live in poor conditions. The truth is that the children live in an excellent, warm environment at Villa Vasilaki. We would all be happy if they could live with their families and the staff and Board do their best to make up for this missing element in their lives.
4. It is a lie that there is no transparency in the handling of the Orphanage's financial affairs. The truth is that this is the first time that there has been such good financial housekeeping. The Orphanage works with 4 external lawyers and an external accountant who prepares the balance sheet. It is also the truth that there is 200,000 Euros in the bank accounts, which, like the Old People's Home, are audited - as are past and current transactions, taking into account the rentals for the Municipality and the Orphanage at Maraslio and Villa Vasilaki. It is also true that since 2014 we have been carrying out maintenance work on the properties - some of which had certificates of risk.
In conclusion:
In our 5-year term we have made continuous efforts to ensure the smooth running of the Orphanage and proper use of the property according to the current law and without catering to interest groups and continuing the bad practices of the past. Whoever believes the opposite can approach the relevant authorities with evidence of practices and derelictions which, in their opinion, put the Orphange property at risk.
The Municipal Brotherhood, Orphanage and Old People's Home are social institutions and should not be the targets of easy, cheap and - above all - unsubstantiated attacks for political or personal reasons. Whoever is sincerely interested in their operation should refrain from vindictive or simply frivolous discussions and get whatever information they want - to which they are legally entitled - by approaching the relevant authorities.
In any case, at the end of our term a public report will be presented for the Orphanage and the Old People's Home.
Finally, I would like to point out the importance of having respect for and safeguarding the peace of mind of the children living in the Orphanage. This peace of mind is endangered by frivolous posts and discussions on social media which are talked about at their schools and makes them targets for the other children.
Chairman of the Orphanage Board
Kostas Nikolouzos
Mayor of Corfu
1. It is a lie that children were removed from the Orphanage because they had completed primary school. The truth is that, with expert advice from the psychologist and in collaboration with the Prosecutor for Minors, four children left - aged 18, 15½, 14½ and 13½ for serious reasons which we cannot publish. These children returned to their families as they weren't orphans. It is also the truth that today we have 20 children (11 boys and 9 girls) from throughout Greece, aged from 4½ to 16, even though the Orphanage regulations state that the age limit is 12. We go over that age limit and accommodate teenagers up to 18 years of age as long as the safety and welfare of all the children is not at risk.
2. It is a lie that the Orphanage requests assistance from the public to cover its needs. The truth is that the Corfu public have been aware of the work of the Orphanage for a long time and whenever possible show their support by offering gifts for the children. At Christmas there were so many gifts that we sent some to the World's Ark in Epirus.
3. It is a lie that the children live in poor conditions. The truth is that the children live in an excellent, warm environment at Villa Vasilaki. We would all be happy if they could live with their families and the staff and Board do their best to make up for this missing element in their lives.
4. It is a lie that there is no transparency in the handling of the Orphanage's financial affairs. The truth is that this is the first time that there has been such good financial housekeeping. The Orphanage works with 4 external lawyers and an external accountant who prepares the balance sheet. It is also the truth that there is 200,000 Euros in the bank accounts, which, like the Old People's Home, are audited - as are past and current transactions, taking into account the rentals for the Municipality and the Orphanage at Maraslio and Villa Vasilaki. It is also true that since 2014 we have been carrying out maintenance work on the properties - some of which had certificates of risk.
In conclusion:
In our 5-year term we have made continuous efforts to ensure the smooth running of the Orphanage and proper use of the property according to the current law and without catering to interest groups and continuing the bad practices of the past. Whoever believes the opposite can approach the relevant authorities with evidence of practices and derelictions which, in their opinion, put the Orphange property at risk.
The Municipal Brotherhood, Orphanage and Old People's Home are social institutions and should not be the targets of easy, cheap and - above all - unsubstantiated attacks for political or personal reasons. Whoever is sincerely interested in their operation should refrain from vindictive or simply frivolous discussions and get whatever information they want - to which they are legally entitled - by approaching the relevant authorities.
In any case, at the end of our term a public report will be presented for the Orphanage and the Old People's Home.
Finally, I would like to point out the importance of having respect for and safeguarding the peace of mind of the children living in the Orphanage. This peace of mind is endangered by frivolous posts and discussions on social media which are talked about at their schools and makes them targets for the other children.
Chairman of the Orphanage Board
Kostas Nikolouzos
Mayor of Corfu
