Efficiency and realism, strengthening safety, quality, resource efficiency with support for green infrastructures and rational use of resources, include the goals of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, said Minister Christos Staikouras, during the government’s programmatic statements in the Plenary.

Mr. Staikouras, at the same time, proceeded with a detailed presentation of ten priorities which the Ministry will have in important infrastructure and transport projects.

In particular, the minister stated that at the core of our strategic targeting are:

  • The effective promotion of ongoing projects and the realistic planning of a new set of projects.
  • Strengthening infrastructure and transport security.
  • Improving the quality of projects and services.
  • The improvement of the efficiency of the used resources, national and European.
  • The promotion of productivity and efficiency of all the structures of the sector.
  • Strengthening “green” infrastructure and transport.
  • The rational use of precious water resources.

Goals – as the minister said – “that will be sought to be achieved in an environment of creative cooperation of all involved. This is why the principles of complementarity will be adopted” pointing out that “the country needs the transparent and honest cooperation of all of us”.

Mr. Staikouras raised the question ten priorities where is:

-The implementation of emblematic infrastructure projects, so that Greece connects and unites, not excludes, nor separates. Among other things, the Thessaloniki Metro, where it is estimated that by the end of 2023, the final design of its new extensions will have been finalized so that the maturation of the tender for the – on priority – extension to the north-west, can proceed within the four-year period that begins. Soon, after the delivery of the main project, the extension to Kalamaria will also be put into operation.

-The Central Greece E-65 highway, which is expected to be completed within four years, while the Lamia – Xyniada section is estimated to be delivered by the beginning of 2024.

– The Patra-Pyrgos highway, the work of which began in March 2022, and has achieved more than 15% implementation progress. Project expected to be completed in 2025. The Aktio – Amvrakia road connection expected to be completed within 2023.

– The Northern Road Axis of Crete where the first construction sites were installed in 2022 and all its fronts will be opened in 2024 with an estimate to complete their construction within four years, while in the meantime, the construction of the Chania section will also be launched – Peninsula.

– Line 4 of the Athens Metro, where preliminary works are underway, and progress is almost at 50%. And already the first metropontic has already traveled the first 30 meters, and is in the phase of systematizing the excavation. The second ship is already in Greece and is expected to start in the fall.

– The renewal of the bus fleet as the supply of 650 new zero-emission vehicles, electric and natural gas, is implemented in Athens and Thessaloniki. The first new buses are expected to join the fleets of the two cities at the beginning of 2024. Also, the procedures for the second phase of the tender for the procurement of an additional 650 buses with anti-pollution technology, mainly electric, slow and fast charging, will begin, estimated within 2023. which is planned to be co-financed by the NSRF.

– The upgrade and rearrangement of the system, the infrastructure and the organization of the railway network, with the optimal coordination of all the agencies involved.

– The upgrade of the air traffic control system and the reorganization of the Civil Aviation Service. Where the Air Traffic Control System is upgraded. The contract is expected to be signed in the 2nd half of 2023, and the implementation time is 2 years. Also, in the 2nd half of 2023, a bill will be introduced for the new organization of the Ministry of Health. The goal is to create a flexible organization, which will have the resources to face the challenges, immediately and effectively. Also, initiatives will be launched to strengthen the operation of the Civil Aviation Authority.

– Strengthening road safety. The ratification of a National Strategic Plan is promoted, with a vision harmonized with the strategies and actions of the European Union and the UN, and with the central objective of reducing accidents by 30% by 2025 and by 50% by 2030 .

The Strategic Plan includes 44 actions and 200 road safety measures, among others:

  • the establishment of a National Road Safety Observatory,
  • the implementation of a National Road Safety Communication Policy,
  • the development of a Violation Management System for the digital recording of traffic violations,
  • the development of a Digital Vehicle Identification Infrastructure.

– The strengthening of gas propulsion, electric propulsion and hydrogen propulsion. As, among other initiatives, the drafting of the National Electric Mobility Plan, which is expected to be submitted to Parliament, has been completed, and the new institutional framework for hydrogen mobility is being launched. The goal, Mr. Staikouras said, is to have 11,000 publicly accessible chargers in common areas of urban centers up and running by early 2026.

– The implementation of investments in irrigation networks. Already, large irrigation projects have already been auctioned, such as in the Valtos-Amfilochia area, in Bramiano of Ierapetra, the Enipea dam and the Tavronitis dam. To these are added 63 large irrigation projects, with a budget of 784 million euros, which are in different stages of maturity, the implementation of which will be accelerated.

– The support of contactless payments in Public Transport, which concerns the introduction of the use of bank cards and mobile phones for travel by public transport. In this context, this means of payment will be the bank card itself, either in plastic form or integrated into the mobile phone. Also, the system, through regular clearings it will carry out, will be able to charge passengers the cheapest economy package available, based on OASA’s fare policy.

– The digitization of tasks. With funding from national and European resources, the ESIDIS of public works will be upgraded. A new information system will be created to simplify the management procedures of the registers of public and private projects. A national digital map of expropriations will be created as well as an integrated information system for the central and unified monitoring and management of all expropriations of the Ministry, an integrated information digital system for the management of technical projects and resources of the Ministry, as well as the Infrastructure Register of E-Mobility Market Bodies, for the management of all of charging points in the territory.

-The development of a strategic plan for the implementation of Modeling Technology in Greece. As this is an important factor for the creation of durable and sustainable projects, with the aim of improving the processes of assigning studies, constructions and maintenance of projects, preventing mistakes, time and cost overruns, throughout their entire life cycle.

The minister noted that in the field of Infrastructure and Transport “our faction, New Democracy, has over time produced important work” and pledged that “I will work, honestly and hard, to honor this trust.” I will cooperate with a creative spirit and a sense of justice with all those involved in the field, from the public and private spheres”

SYRIZA intervention

SYRIZA’s parliamentary representative Nikos Pappas, in his intervention criticized the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Staikouras for not saying “not even half a word” about the railways especially when a few months ago we had the biggest railway tragedy in Tempi. He asked the minister if he will continue the policy of the previous minister Mr. K. Karamanlis “who left the railway to advance the PPP project in the network”.

Mr. Pappas mentioned that Xanthi has not seen a train for four years. We don’t see the train going to Patras even this four years. In Pyrgos there is a technical base and there are no routes. Now as we speak, there is a problem in Attica in remote control and signaling” and he ended by saying that “I don’t know why there is this deafening silence. Is there any plan to close the train as a mode of transport and deal only with freight?” Also, the official opposition parliamentary representative asked the minister if the plan to privatize the maintenance of the railway project is still on the table and is there an agenda that you have that the national delegation should not know about? Finally, he raised the issue of EYDAP, asking if your strategy has actually changed or if the privatization of the maintenance of its external network will proceed.

Minister of Infrastructure and Transport

Mr. Staikouras replied to the parliamentary representative of SYRIZA that “there are two schools of thought, that of self-deception, illusions and tarpaulins that you express and ours that speaks with projects, responsibility, seriousness and realistic timetables” The minister pointed out to Mr. Pappas that “our third priority is to upgrade and reorganize the infrastructure system and the organization of the railway network with the optimal coordination of all involved bodies and we are already working in this direction”.

Mr. Staikouras pledged that “on a systemic basis, all of us will be accountable inside and outside Parliament for the implementation of this priority”. He announced that “in the coming hours and days, the signing of the contract between the Greek State and OSE will be completed so that we can strengthen it with funding, significantly compared to the past, the security, maintenance and improvement of infrastructure and railway services networks”. But he noticed that the corresponding accountability will be required from the management of the OSE. This, said Mr. Staikouras, is “the first initiative we are undertaking in the next few hours and yes, on a regular basis, there will be an update to the political leadership on an issue that shocked Greek society.”

Finally, the minister mentioned that EYDAP went to the Superfund from SYRIZA, adding that “we tried to correct errors of your own Government. So don’t talk about them and when you do, be careful what you say.”

Greek solution

The parliamentary representative of the Hellenic Solution, Konstantinos Chitas, requested the position of the responsible minister for the proposal of an inquiry committee submitted by his party to investigate the tragedy in Tempi.