Bakoyannis for Doukas and Botanikos: “He should do his cross, he receives a work done”

We want Athens to move forward and we also want Double Regeneration to move forward. And we will do everything we can, everything in our power to make that happen. In this we are allies. However, this presupposes, among other things, relationships of honesty and mutual respect. There is a limit. With lies, half lies and half truths, such a great work cannot progress. So, I call on the mayor, even now, to act calmly and consensually. He is mayor of all. To unite us all to move forward and do the work.

This work, by its very nature, goes beyond one municipal authority, beyond parties, ideologies and factions. For this reason, from the first moment, we proposed, on the one hand, the need for seriousness and responsibility, and on the other hand, the effort for consensus, so that we can join forces to be able to bring this project to completion, all together. I believed that the current Mayor would follow the same line, as we all want this project to be done and done on time, without unnecessary and pointless delays.

Unfortunately, however, both in the previous presentation to the Municipal Council and in this one, the Mayor follows a slippery slope and resorts to untimely and unfair attacks. I understand political logic, it is as old as politics itself. It is the famous scorched earth logic. That is, if we manage to implement the project, let us take credit for it. If, again, we fail to say that the previous ones are to blame. So this work we have seen before in this country. But let’s agree, among ourselves, that it is one outdated logic.

Despite the very great difficulties, the result is that you currently have a fully mature project, with a strong institutional framework and updated legislation. You also have secured financing of almost 230 million euros. I was speechless when I heard the Mayor say that funding is up in the air. This, of course, he said at the beginning, because at the end of his presentation he mentioned that the funding is secured.

What really matters? What he said at the beginning, that the project is up in the air, or what he said at the end that it is guaranteed? The truth, of course, is what he said at the end. Funding is fully secured and the difference between approval and pre-approval is purely formal.

This time I didn’t hear the mayor shouting “where’s the money” giving food to “Makleio” and other sites. The bottom line is that the decontamination progressed normally and is indeed a necessary condition for the project. Apparently the initial funding was not enough. We had declared it. This does not mean that we should not start the project and wait until we find the full amount.

We informed the Mayor on October 30, at the meeting I called. They needed more money. We had clearly agreed on this money with the relevant ministries. When we left, we left a detailed road map of what this municipality must do to secure the money. As he did 3-4 months late.

I understand that a new municipal authority can lose some time until it adapts, gets familiar, feels safe. However, this does not mean that the money was not there, so that the current municipal authority could take it and move on. By extension, the Mayor himself answers to himself. In any case, there is no problem with decontamination.

We all know that permission is the responsibility of the contractor. We also know that we all want to help to issue this permit, which I note is not issued by the Municipality, but by the Ministry. Legislative intervention was indeed needed. But what didn’t the Mayor say? That the plan for this legislative intervention was written by our own municipal authority and was included in the file we deliver for the Double Redevelopment.

Now, in relation to contracts. This Municipal Authority has, first of all, received the contracts between the partners, the Municipality, the PAE, the amateur, the banks, everyone. These contracts provide a comprehensive framework and a comprehensive plan to move the project forward. This is something very important. He has also received the contracted stadium, as well as the other auctioned works. I heard the Mayor say that we are moving forward with the road construction and landscaping contracts. But they had already moved on. Now, he must continue them. I heard you say, too, that in relation to the expropriations you received an essentially chaotic situation.

But is it possible to say these things? I have in front of me the document, which was received by the municipal authority. It has a total of 27 owners, with whom detailed meetings and discussions took place, we proceeded with negotiations and everything is recorded. Obviously it’s hard, it’s not easy. But a lot of work has been done.

Because a little earlier you said that the project had no pulse. I would like to describe to you what it means for a project to have no pulse. It is the Double Redevelopment which we received “dead” from the faction of Mr. Mayor.

The last involvement of Mr. Kamines, your ideological predecessor, with the Double Renewal was to sit at a table with the Prime Minister at the time, Mr. Tsipras, to agree on the construction of the Panathinaikos stadium in Goudi. During the nine years of the Kamina administration, there was no Double Redevelopment, even though it had the presidential decree of 2012.