Galiatsatos:No substance to the ΄gifts΄ to Corfu from Konsolas and Mendoni
Galiatsatos
29 Oct 2019
/ 07:21
CORFU. Former Regional Governor says that the visits of the Deputy Minister for Tourism and Minister for Culture produced statements with no substance and announcements of actions undertaken by the previous Regional Administration.
"There were two governmental visits to Corfu last week. The first from the Ministry of Tourism headed by Mr. Konsolas and the second from the Ministry of Culture headed by Ms. Mendoni along with 17 (!) officials.
What can be said about the visits is that there were a whole series of meetings, interviews, statements, visits and lots of photos were taken! And there were, of course, discussions with the Municipal and Regional authorities.
What, however, did Corfu get out of all this? What came out of all this that was new and positive for Corfu and the residents?
Konsolas
There was 'nothing new' regarding the major issue of measures to support businesses and workers following the collapse of Thomas Cook. Just words of sympathy and understanding.
The Regional Governor, instead of demanding the implementation of measures to lessen the impact as was decided recently at the Regional Council following ANASA's proposal, limited herself to fine words and good wishes - obviously not wanting to bother the Minister and Government.
Mendoni
She appeared to be 'generous' towards Corfu - with projects that were already approved and funded, mainly by the previous ANASA Regional Authority.
She reassured the Philharmonic Societies, giving them funding from the Regional Administration ESPA funds from July 2019.
She visited lots of monuments and archaeological sites without proposing anything. Wasn't Ms. Mendoni familiar with them? Didn't she supervise national cultural development and infrastructure until recently as General Secretary at the Ministry?
She said, correctly, that the Achillion Palace was the responsibility of the Public Properties Company (ETAD) and that the Ministry was only responsible for two sub-projects. We should point out, however, that these have been funded by the Regional Administration since July 2019.
Regarding Villa Rosa, which is also the responsibility of ETAD, she said that she gave permission (!) to the Regional Administration to carry out the work. An attempt to become involved in a matter which has already received approval from her Ministry and to appear as if she is the one who is pushing ahead with the work - with the connivance of the present Regional Administration. Who asked her for this 'permission'?
In conclusion
As they say in Greek - 'the mountain gave birth to a mouse' (a lot of effort for such little result). They came, they saw and they left without giving any support to the cultural needs of Corfu. All they gave were, on the one hand, headline statements without any substance and on the other, announcements of actions and projects that had already been planned by the ANASA Regional Administration.
Ms. Kratsa's Regional Authority played along with the meaningless rhetoric of the two Ministries, proving herself unable to defend the work already guaranteed by the Ionian Islands Regional Administration."
What can be said about the visits is that there were a whole series of meetings, interviews, statements, visits and lots of photos were taken! And there were, of course, discussions with the Municipal and Regional authorities.
What, however, did Corfu get out of all this? What came out of all this that was new and positive for Corfu and the residents?
Konsolas
There was 'nothing new' regarding the major issue of measures to support businesses and workers following the collapse of Thomas Cook. Just words of sympathy and understanding.
The Regional Governor, instead of demanding the implementation of measures to lessen the impact as was decided recently at the Regional Council following ANASA's proposal, limited herself to fine words and good wishes - obviously not wanting to bother the Minister and Government.
Mendoni
She appeared to be 'generous' towards Corfu - with projects that were already approved and funded, mainly by the previous ANASA Regional Authority.
She reassured the Philharmonic Societies, giving them funding from the Regional Administration ESPA funds from July 2019.
She visited lots of monuments and archaeological sites without proposing anything. Wasn't Ms. Mendoni familiar with them? Didn't she supervise national cultural development and infrastructure until recently as General Secretary at the Ministry?
She said, correctly, that the Achillion Palace was the responsibility of the Public Properties Company (ETAD) and that the Ministry was only responsible for two sub-projects. We should point out, however, that these have been funded by the Regional Administration since July 2019.
Regarding Villa Rosa, which is also the responsibility of ETAD, she said that she gave permission (!) to the Regional Administration to carry out the work. An attempt to become involved in a matter which has already received approval from her Ministry and to appear as if she is the one who is pushing ahead with the work - with the connivance of the present Regional Administration. Who asked her for this 'permission'?
In conclusion
As they say in Greek - 'the mountain gave birth to a mouse' (a lot of effort for such little result). They came, they saw and they left without giving any support to the cultural needs of Corfu. All they gave were, on the one hand, headline statements without any substance and on the other, announcements of actions and projects that had already been planned by the ANASA Regional Administration.
Ms. Kratsa's Regional Authority played along with the meaningless rhetoric of the two Ministries, proving herself unable to defend the work already guaranteed by the Ionian Islands Regional Administration."
