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- Reactions from the Chamber and Trade Association because they were not invited
- D. Aktypis: “This is Laganas… This is what the businessmen have chosen and this is what happens”
- N. Aretakis: “Let’s document some things and send them to the government”
In a meeting at the Cultural Centre yesterday (18/7) at noon, the Mayor of Zakynthos, Nikitas Aretakis, invited the local authorities and agencies, specifically the Member of Parliament, the Deputy Regional Governor, the Police Director, the Coast Guard, the Traffic Commander, the Deputy Mayor of Tourism, the Deputy Mayor of Laganas, the President of the village Pantokratoras, the Hotel Association of Laganas, the Association of Rooms for Rent, the Association of Bars & Entertainment Centres of Laganas and tourist agencies, in order to “exchange opinions and make decisions about the tourist area of Laganas”.
Unfortunately, all that was done were plain… findings about the well-known situation that has been prevailing for years in Laganas. It should be noted that this meeting took place a few days after the visit to our island of the ambassador of the United Kingdom to Greece and after the incident of beating that occurred on the main street of Laganas. We remind you that not even this year; something has been done to improve the tourism model of Laganas even to a minimum, while there is not even enough power of the Hellenic Police (EL.AS) to limit the delinquent behaviour of young tourists.
Despite the publication and despite the cries of anguish of the businessmen – those who do not benefit from the conditions prevailing in the area – and the residents, the ministry has not yet proceeded to strengthen the local EL.AS., despite the commitments of the Minister at the beginning of the season and further support of the tourist areas.
The absentees.
First, it should be noted that as soon as it became known that the meeting for Laganas would take place, the president of the Zakynthos Chamber Fotis Kottis and the Zakynthos Chamber of Commerce reacted, as both organizations were not invited to participate in the discussion.
For his part, Mr. Kottis emphasized: “16/7/2021 one year before the visit of the Minister of Citizen Protection to the island, together with all the leaders for the solution of the issue of Laganas and the comprehensive policing and security of a top tourist destination, Zakynthos. It was the culmination of a coordinated effort by the institutions of our island. 22/4/2021 the Zakynthos Chamber, representing the entire business world of the island, convened a teleconference with the minister. It was held with the participation of the associations of the hoteliers, the chief of police and officials, with the above agenda (the municipality is absent, as in all the meetings of the tourism operators of the island in the spring of 2021). This was followed by my meeting as president of the Chamber with the minister and the leaders, at the ministry in Athens at the end of May 2021, completing an effort by all the bodies of our island (Chamber, Hotel Associations, MP, Regional Authority/except the municipality) with the specific agenda. 13/7/2022 at the height of the season, with garbage on the streets, with sewage a bomb ticking, with projects in the centre of the city, the municipality convenes a meeting on Monday 18/7/2022 with Laganas on the agenda and does not invite the Zakynthos Chamber to the meeting. Welcome to Zakynthos as a municipal authority after three years in office.”
For its part, the Trade Association notes: “Unfortunately for the place and the people of the Municipality, with its current political expression, it operates with a time delay, and this alone is not going to bring development and solutions to the serious problems we are facing this summer . On July 19 (tomorrow) the Municipality calls for a meeting and exchange of views (!) about the situation in Laganas. Once again, the Mayor will stand by findings, unable to provide a solution, since if he wanted, the Chamber of Commerce and the Trade Association would have acted earlier since we presented him with the situation in Laganas, and a series of solutions, in the discussion that took place months ago for the regulation. We were not listened to, and today the Mayor, unable to deal with the situation, will content himself with remarks about his mistakes yesterday in the area and maybe make promises for the future about what he will do. For the problems of Laganas (now that the situation is out of control) he will look for solutions without the presence of professionals who experience insecurity in their businesses every day. He forgot to call the Chamber and the Trade Association, he was afraid that they would ask him for responsibility, for the situation that prevails in Laganas after the indifference to what is currently happening in the area??? Unfortunately, someone can only see the initiative of Mr. Mayor at the end of July to convene a debate about Laganas as a joke.”
At the meeting.
Mayor Aretakis.
Initially, the Mayor during the meeting said that he had visited Laganas in the morning and at night and found out the bad conditions that prevail. He particularly focused on the issue of cleanliness, explaining that the Municipality cannot cope with the increased needs and a solution will be provided with the help of private individuals.
In more detail, he said: “I visited Laganas at night and in the morning and the situation is really desperate. For street cleaning, the Municipality cannot cope with the existing capabilities. We should have written special appropriations in the budget. Laganas must be clean in the morning to be able to receive visitors. About the policing and other matters, hoteliers came and told me that what they live is horror, that is, to be obliged at 3 in the morning, to receive visitors after the wild partying. These issues and in general the rest of the problems regarding the centres that gather these people, how the violations will be dealt with in terms of the implementation of the provisions (…) if adulterated drinks create a problem for the visitors and how the situation develops, is not my issue to face. I can make suggestions and listen, as I haven’t experienced these problems, but I can declare that as long as I am Mayor if violations occur, there is no way I will be light in any. The whole island cannot be defamed because of the thoughtless behaviour of a few businessmen. This is what I can do and this is what I will do. I want us to decide on some things that we will document in the City Hall with the MP to give to the government.”
The president of Pantokratora spoke at the meeting about the known problems found in the area. Yiannis Karamalikis and the President of the Association of Laganas Rooms for Rent, Daizi Kapsaskis.
MP Mr. Aktypis.
For his part, the Member of Parliament for Zakynthos, Dionysis Aktypis, made a different analysis of the problem, overall, which had to do with the tourism model that has been developed in Laganas, while commenting that it is not possible for the special forces to come to control the situation in the area, as the deviations are caused by tourists and not by protesters.
Among other things, he said: “It is good to get the discussion on the right footing by asking some questions. As far as comments made, along the style of, “the police force must be strengthened”. 120 police officers last year, 100 this year. Let Special Forces come. I mean, I didn’t understand? Do we have demonstrations in Laganas? Are there squatters or protesters that require the Special Forces to go in and clean up the situation? They are tourists who come and have fun. Nor is there a measurement of how much drink we will give them, how much they will drink and what they will do. This is tourism. These people are sleeping somewhere. Are we putting them to sleep? The Vice-region or the Municipality? They sleep in accommodations. Do you want this tourism not to exist? Decide that we will not take this part of tourism next year and we will not accommodate anyone under 30 in our hotels and homes. We will implement it for 3-4 years and we are done. I mean, I don’t understand why we get together every time and talk about 50 meters (main road) to do checks. The police are there. Is it assumed that if we have 300 policemen and they get involved that we will avoid the worse? The police are discreetly there, because we are talking about tourists not protesters. They come and leave their money. This is Laganas. This is what the entrepreneurs have chosen and this is what is done. From there, the police do their job and control delinquency. If we don’t want (this model) there is a barrier but some revenue will be lost. Let’s decide what we want. What I am asking is that delinquency, theft, adulterated drinks be controlled and from there on the rest must be discussed by us and not by the police. In other words, what are we asking as authorities to change the tourism product”
Afterwards, the Traffic Commander N. Tsolos took the floor, analyzing the actions taken by the service, noting in fact that in the last period of time it has stopped several vehicles (“quads”), while then the others also spoke attending about the problems in Laganas and the checks that the services do.
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Source in Greek and photos:-https://www.imerazante.gr/
