Meropi Ydraiou and Rodi Kratsa discuss Solid Waste Management Organisation (FODSA)
waste management
22 Jan 2021
/ 13:41
CORFU. With a limited number of people and in what was described as a positive atmosphere, exploratory discussions began on Thursday morning between the Regional Authority and SYDISA.
According to reliable sources, the Deputy Regional Governor for Finance & Culture Katerina Mothonaiou played the role of mediator getting the opponents to sit round the table together and asking "Why all the hate and strife?" The table in this case was that of the Regional Governor in her large office in Alykes.
Nothing very newsworthy came out of the meeting except perhaps that both sides were more amenable and differences bridged. But only as far as that could go, say those in the know, as each side stuck to their positions as regards the tender for the waste management facility in Corfu.
The Regional Authority maintains that it will soon put out the invitation for tender with the amended and approved documents which, however, are not in its lawful possession (?). This because Corfu SYDISA (Solid Waste Management Association) has decided not to give them to the Regional FODSA. Naturally, with the documents going back and forth to Athens, the 'other side' has copies. Apart from that, of course, the request from lawmakers that SYDISA be disbanded and to hand over responsibility to the Regional FODSA also includes the responsibility of the tender documents. However, the legality of this is in doubt and the case may have to go to the Council of State where, whoever wins, the likelihood of the facility not materialising becomes greater!
The outgoing SYDISA believes that it can delay its disbandment and given the fact that the Regional FODSA has only recently been formed and has the obligation to proceed with the project in Cephalonia, the Corfu Association could be the ones issuing the invitation for tender for the facility in Temploni.
Bearing all that in mind, Meropi Ydraiou, Yiannis Seremetis, Nikos Kalogeros and Chrysanthis Sarlis visited the Regional Authority offices yesterday. They remained there and continued the discussion with Mr. Ioannou even when Ms. Kratsa had to leave for the airport to travel to Athens (it is said that she will meet with the Governor of the Bank of Greece Mr. Stournaras).
The other Mayors were not present at the meeting either because they weren't invited or didn't want to come. In any case, they weren't there even though the matter of the transportation of the waste from Corfu still needs to be resolved as does the matter of the waste bales - which are of importance to all of us on the island.
As Spyros Neratzis complains, each delay in proceeding with the project all together means thousands of tons of waste aren't being transported. He stated that the way things are now the only available solution is is to use Temploni as a transfer plant until the other facilities are constructed. (This is how Temploni has become Corfu's rubbish dump until something else is constructed - which never happens and so Temploni is always the only facility available).
In any case, Thursday's meeting took place in a positive atmosphere and was, for sure, the first of many that will follow.
It is still not clear where things went wrong. All the indications are that the Government wants to proceed urgently and there are strict deadlines in the Programme for the work to be completed by 2023.
Reference is also made in the discussions to the 'European option', which, it is said will make things easier. The involvement of private companies in funding and co-ownership is also being discussed. We still await clarification, however.
Nothing very newsworthy came out of the meeting except perhaps that both sides were more amenable and differences bridged. But only as far as that could go, say those in the know, as each side stuck to their positions as regards the tender for the waste management facility in Corfu.
The Regional Authority maintains that it will soon put out the invitation for tender with the amended and approved documents which, however, are not in its lawful possession (?). This because Corfu SYDISA (Solid Waste Management Association) has decided not to give them to the Regional FODSA. Naturally, with the documents going back and forth to Athens, the 'other side' has copies. Apart from that, of course, the request from lawmakers that SYDISA be disbanded and to hand over responsibility to the Regional FODSA also includes the responsibility of the tender documents. However, the legality of this is in doubt and the case may have to go to the Council of State where, whoever wins, the likelihood of the facility not materialising becomes greater!
The outgoing SYDISA believes that it can delay its disbandment and given the fact that the Regional FODSA has only recently been formed and has the obligation to proceed with the project in Cephalonia, the Corfu Association could be the ones issuing the invitation for tender for the facility in Temploni.
Bearing all that in mind, Meropi Ydraiou, Yiannis Seremetis, Nikos Kalogeros and Chrysanthis Sarlis visited the Regional Authority offices yesterday. They remained there and continued the discussion with Mr. Ioannou even when Ms. Kratsa had to leave for the airport to travel to Athens (it is said that she will meet with the Governor of the Bank of Greece Mr. Stournaras).
The other Mayors were not present at the meeting either because they weren't invited or didn't want to come. In any case, they weren't there even though the matter of the transportation of the waste from Corfu still needs to be resolved as does the matter of the waste bales - which are of importance to all of us on the island.
As Spyros Neratzis complains, each delay in proceeding with the project all together means thousands of tons of waste aren't being transported. He stated that the way things are now the only available solution is is to use Temploni as a transfer plant until the other facilities are constructed. (This is how Temploni has become Corfu's rubbish dump until something else is constructed - which never happens and so Temploni is always the only facility available).
In any case, Thursday's meeting took place in a positive atmosphere and was, for sure, the first of many that will follow.
It is still not clear where things went wrong. All the indications are that the Government wants to proceed urgently and there are strict deadlines in the Programme for the work to be completed by 2023.
Reference is also made in the discussions to the 'European option', which, it is said will make things easier. The involvement of private companies in funding and co-ownership is also being discussed. We still await clarification, however.
