Mitsotakis from Thessaloniki: We are taking the final step for the delivery of the metro

“Today we are taking the final step, an important final step, in order to be able to deliver the Thessaloniki metro, finally, in full operation, within 2024” pointed out Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at noon, at the station of the metro project in Agia Sofia, by the signing of the operation and maintenance contract of the Thessaloniki Metro.

The prime minister was guided to the archaeological site of the station and then went down the escalators to the main station area, to the venue of the event.

Mr. Mitsotakis underlined that “a bold decision” is being completed today, which “was also agreed with the previous leadership of the Ministry of Transport” – that is, to use private expertise, “the best at the European level” to ensure the smooth, safe operation of this of the most important infrastructure project and continued:

“But, at the same time, to ensure that for as many years as the contract lasts, the maintenance of this project will also be guaranteed. And I do not say this by chance as recent events brought back to our memory sins of the past, where we did not really know who was responsible for the maintenance of important infrastructure projects, which were paid for by the Greek taxpayers in the past. This changes, with the contract we are signing.”

The prime minister thanked the ministers and executives of the involved agencies for the cooperation, through which it became possible, as he said, to keep his commitment “both moderate and ancient” and he added: “This commitment was kept and is being kept in its entirety.”

The prime minister also referred to fly over, which, as he said, had also been planned in consultation with the previous administration of the Ministry of Transport, saying that a hundred additional police officers would be deployed, by his own personal decision, to Thessaloniki to help with traffic arrangements. He noted that when it is completed and operational citizens will realize “its enormous importance” and called on citizens for a “partnership” and understanding of the impact on traffic for as long as its construction lasts.

“THE image from the future, which we see today, will soon be the present of the city. A city that is developing, a dynamic city, to which the state owed a lot for decades, but now comes to pay off the bills to Thessaloniki and endow it with important infrastructure projects, which would be the envy of all European metropolises. Well done, then, the new measure,” said the prime minister.

Afterwards, Mr. Mitsotakis left the venue and toured the renovated Makedonomahon Square, above the metro station in Agia Sophia Square.

The event was attended by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Staikouras, the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the Deputy Minister of Finance Nikos Papathanasis, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Nikos Tachiaos, the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace) Stathis Konstantinidis, the Deputy Minister of Transport Christina Alexopoulou, the Secretary General of Transport Konstantinos Magoulas, the general secretary of Infrastructure Yiannis Xifaras, the general secretary of Culture Giorgos Didaskalou, the mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Zervas, the deputy regional governor Voula Patoulidou, the former secretary of Infrastructure G. Karagiannis, MPs, the managing director of “Hellenic Measure” Nikos Kouretas and representatives of the contracting consortium (Thema SA).

The €250m contract has a duration of eleven years.

– Meanwhile, members of ANTARSYA and other left-wing organizations held a protest rally at the Statue of Venizelos and a march to the Agia Sophia station, in protest against the signing of the contract with a private company for the operation and maintenance of the Thessaloniki metro.