Access to Pantokrator restored after 20 years!

(North Corfu Municipality) From the very first year of operation of the Municipality of North Corfu, within the framework of civil protection, the issue of work for the fire protection of the mountainous region of Pantokrator was strongly raised with the leadership of both the Ministry of Environment and Civil Protection Service.

After more than 20 years, a particularly important intervention by the Ministry of Environment, through the Corfu Forestry Department, is finally coming to fruition, addressing the need for safe and smooth access to the mountainous area of Pantokrator.

This achieves the following:

• Strengthening of civil protection through a functional and reliable network for the prevention and suppression of wildfires,

• Support for agricultural and livestock activities,

• Ensuring accessibility to natural landscapes and settlements.

For the first time in twenty years, access is being restored with respect for the area's rocky ecosystem and with full awareness of the unique morphological features of the mountain. The works involve maintenance and restoration of the forest road network in Pantokrator, using techniques that respect the natural and historic stone foundation of the area. It is worth noting that the works are being carried out in a pioneering manner, using state-of-the-art machinery—as well as the rural roads that have been included in the 'Antonis Tritsis' development programme.

The work, covering more than 20 kilometres of forest roads, concerns:

• Critical passages for fire protection and forest management,

• Routes of historical and cultural significance leading to the summit of Pantokrator.

Caring for forest roads is not a luxury. It is a matter of life, safety, and local development.

The Municipality of North Corfu publicly expresses its appreciation to the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Corfu Forestry Department—from Nikos Hardalias, Deputy Minister for Civil Protection & Crisis Management, to Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Environment and Energy—for this vital act of protection and promotion of the mountain that stands as a guardian and a memory of the island.

For our Municipality, investing in outdoor road infrastructure is not a technical detail. It is a statement of responsibility toward a place that deserves to stay alive. And the fact that the roads to Pantokrator are becoming accessible again, just days before the Holy Pilgrimage, is a miracle of Pantokrator himself...

Old Perithia – Fanos, Fanos – Pantokrator, Fanos – Old Sinies – Megoulas, Fanos – Megoulas, Apagorevmeno, Fanos – Aixereia.

Photos: North Corfu Municipality