The upgrade and expansion of the road axis Kalamata – Rizomylos – Pylos – Methoni through PPP, budget 252 million euros, the tender for the concession of Kalamata airport “Captain Vassilis Konstantakopoulos” and the inclusion in the Public Benefit Investment Program are the three interventions announced by the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced three important decisions for the upgrading of the infrastructure of Kalamata and the Peloponnese in general, during his visit to the town hall of Messina.
The first intervention concerns upgrade and extension of the road axis Kalamata – Rizomylos – Pylos – Methoni through PPPs, budget EUR 252 million. The tender process has progressed significantly and a temporary contractor has already been selected, while the contracting is expected to take place in the fall and the work is expected to be completed within five years.
The second concerns the competition for concession of Kalamata airport “Captain Vassilis Konstantakopoulos”, as has been done with many regional airports, with the aim of radically upgrading its infrastructure, in order to substantially improve the air connection with the region, for the benefit of the local community and the tourism industry.
The third intervention concerns inclusion in the Public Investment Program of biological treatmenta major project costing around € 15 million.
“Let me dwell on three very important projects: first, we have already talked about the road, how important it is to connect Kalamata with Rizomylos, with Pylos, with Methoni, to make the relevant bypass so that we can reach more easily in Koroni. “It is a co-financed project which already has a temporary contractor, a project which after certainty is now underway”, said the Prime Minister at the town hall of Messina, where he was welcomed by the mayor, George Athanasopoulos.
“Secondly, the Airport. I had the opportunity to land at the airport and talk a little with the pilot and the commander of the Civil Aviation Authority. HRDH has already launched the process for the concession contract of Kalamata airport, as an independent project. And if one sees how successful the interventions were made at the other regional airports, the 14 of which are currently managed by Fraport, one can understand what it means to upgrade Kalamata airport for the tourist development of the wider area. And of course it is an airport that has a dual character, as here will be the big intervention, the big investment, which will upgrade the capabilities of our Air Force to train our new pilots with state-of-the-art aircraft “, continued Kyriakos Mitsotakis .
The Prime Minister had earlier had the opportunity to talk to employees at the airport and was informed by the airport manager, Vivi Vlachou and the CAA Commander, George Dritsakofor the ongoing improvement works and the course of the concession process.
“Third and very important, the projects that have to do with the protection of the environment. And here I want to be very clear, it no longer means today tourism development that does not respect the environment and does not put into practice the principles of sustainable development and the circular economy. This means completing basic infrastructure, backlogs that should have been dealt with in the past.
I have given a personal mandate to find the resources and to include biological treatment in the public investment program, an important project of about 15 million, but a project that will give a breath to the whole region. I imagine that it will manage wastewater of many different settlements, and in this way we will be able to ensure that the tourism investments that will be made will enable visitors to come to a place that protects the environment but of course this applies to all citizens. of the region “said the prime minister during the discussion at the town hall of Messina.
In parallel with the above, the implementation of two more projects is underway, which are going to expand and upgrade the irrigation network of the area.
This is Minagiotiko Dam, the construction of which is proposed at a distance of about 2 km west of the settlement Vlasaika. Its irrigation network will have a total area of ​​35,000 acres, while its construction cost has been budgeted at 98.5 million euros. The announcement of the first phase of the pre-selection of the Groups that will implement the project, is expected in July 2022 and its construction time is estimated at 2 to 2.5 years.
Second, the construction of irrigation network for the utilization of the waters of the dam – reservoir that has already been implemented in the Filiatrinos river with a budget of 45,880,000 euros. The cadastral works for the forced expropriations have been completed and the project file has been given to an independent technical consultant, in order to prepare the relevant specifications. The goal is to announce the tender for the implementation of the project in September 2022.
THE Kyriakos Mitsotakis He then walked to the center of Messina, where he had the opportunity to talk to residents and shopkeepers.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Interior Stelios Petsas, Peloponnese Regional Governor Panagiotis Nikas, New Democracy Messinian MPs Giannis Lambropoulos, Miltos Chrysomallis and Periklis Mantas and the Secretary of the Political Committee Patis Mardas.
