The Tower of Piraeus is in its own way the symbol of a city that is changing, and of a country that is moving confidently into the future, the prime minister stressed on Tuesday Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during his greeting at the grand official opening of the iconic building.

“We should overcome the urban planning phobia” the prime minister also mentioned, referring to the Tower of Piraeus, stressing that the needs of cities are changing, and the demands for more greenery are becoming more intense.

This does not mean that tall buildings will spring up everywhere, he clarified.

I think it’s something that’s pretty obvious, and this government has proven that when they have to put restrictions on building heights that are consistent with the general, I would say, residential footprint of certain areas, they’re willing to do that.

“However, other tall buildings are being built and will be built in our country, and I think that dealing with the development of cities by taking advantage of the possibility that height gives us, as envisioned by some of us older than us, is definitely something that we must now be examined with more courage.”

“The government has proven that when it has to impose restrictions it is willing to do so,” noted Mr. Mitsotakis.

He stated that the Tower of Piraeus is one of the many landmarks of the city. “Mr. Mayor, a lot has been done… I want to highlight the excellent cooperation of the Municipality with the government,” said the Prime Minister, addressing Yiannis Moralis.

“An important moment is coming for the country’s first port. The completion of the emblematic project… At a time when the country was coming out of a major crisis. I believe that taking business risks is also linked to the faith investors have in the country’s prospects. All these came and met.”

He noted that in addition to the Tower of Piraeus, and the subway project, a number of new projects are underway in the city such as the Museum of Marine Antiquities, further renovations while the port will henceforth be environmentally friendly.

Mitsotakis

“The great summer of Piraeus continues after the triumph of Olympiakos and the winning of the cup… Here comes an important moment for the first port of the country, the completion of the emblematic project” noted Mr. Mitsotakis.

“These projects are co-financed by European resources, specifically by the Recovery Fund, which added significant financial capacity to the country to support such visionary projects,” said the Prime Minister, noting that the government views the plan of undergrounding the Electric very positively.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister expressed his joy that, as he said, Piraeus is turning from a city that was identified with shipping activity, into a destination city, an independent destination. “And in a city that can attract other business activities besides shipping, with which, Mr. President, Piraeus will always be identified anyway. We want to unlock this dynamic of Piraeus and that is why we will always be helpful in such large and important development projects” he said.

Following is the greeting of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the opening of the Piraeus Tower

Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen colleagues in the government and in the parliament, ladies and gentlemen, the great summer of Piraeus continues. After the triumph of Olympiakos and the conquest of the Conference League, another very important moment follows for the first port of the country.

The completion of an iconic project which, as you have heard, was first envisioned by some over 50 years ago. And I would say that this project that we see today, is in its own way the symbol of a city that is changing, but also the symbol of a country that is moving confidently into the future.

This project became a reality thanks to the visionary mood of the municipality and those who developed it and took the business risk – congratulations, Mr. Andriopoule, to you and your staff – at a time when the country was emerging from a major crisis.

I firmly believe that taking business risk to launch such large development projects is obviously also linked to the faith that investors have in the country’s prospects. Which in turn are linked to the cost of borrowing, the possibility of financing such complex projects.

All these, then, came and met. Great difficulties were overcome, the pandemic, a war in Ukraine. And today we are pleased to inaugurate a building which in its own way will become one, not the only, one of the many landmarks of a city that is changing and that is moving confidently into the future.

Dear Mayor, a lot has been done in the city of Piraeus and I want to highlight the excellent cooperation that the municipality of Piraeus has with the government, which in its own way supported the important development projects, most importantly the Metro project.

And, at the same time, it is launching a series of new projects, such as the Museum of Maritime Antiquities, the further renovations that will highlight even more the beauty of the first port, its transformation into an environmentally friendly port, the one that we call it “cold ironing”, the electrification of the port, and Piraeus to be at the forefront of this new major environmental challenge.

I want to remind, of course, since we also have European elections in a few days from now, that these projects are co-financed by European resources, specifically by the Recovery Fund, which added significant financial capacity to the country to support such visionary projects.

And I will answer the challenge you put to me, dear mayor. The government sees very positively the plan of the undergrounding of Elektrikos. We await the final study, the consultation with the Ministry of Culture, the finding of financial resources.

However, I understand the great importance that this project has for the essentially qualitative regeneration of an area of ​​Piraeus that needs further interventions.

So, I am glad that Piraeus is turning from a city that was identified with shipping activity, into a destination city, an independent destination. And in a city that can attract other business activities besides shipping, with which, Madam President, Piraeus will always be identified anyway.

We want to unlock this dynamic of Piraeus and that is why we will always be helpful in such large and important development projects.

Finally, since here we are also presenting a tower and talking about the possibility of cities to grow taller, this project was designed together with the Tower of Athens more than 50 years ago.

The needs of cities are changing and the requirements for freeing up space, for more greenery, are becoming more and more intense. And I believe that overall we should overcome a relative “urban planning hyperphobia” that we have in how we design the cities of the future.

This does not mean that tall buildings will spring up everywhere. I think it’s something that’s pretty obvious, and this government has proven that when they have to put restrictions on building heights that are consistent with the general, I would say, residential footprint of certain areas, they’re willing to do that.

However, other tall buildings are being built and will be built in our country and I think that dealing with the growth of cities by making use of the potential that height gives us, as envisioned by some older than us, is definitely something that should now be considered with more courage.

I close by congratulating again all those who worked to make this important project a reality, the employees of the municipality, the consortium, the Deposit and Loan Fund, the construction company.

It is a technically complex project, as you can see, and with very high environmental standards. A project that is exemplary in the way it manages energy. And I wish for even more projects with a correspondingly significant environmental and development footprint.

Congratulations again.