The Municipality of Kalamaria expresses its surprise regarding the announcement of the tender for the Aretousa Marina by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), made during the holiday period and at a time when critical institutional and judicial processes are still pending.
The Municipality states in a relevant announcement:
“The HRADF’s choices for the overdevelopment of the Marina and the real estate project have been firmly rejected as incorrect through repeated decisions of the Kalamaria Municipal Council, the Metropolitan Committee of Thessaloniki, the Region of Central Macedonia, numerous parliamentary questions, and from the local community itself, which has clearly expressed its disagreement. At the same time, the tender was announced while awaiting the decision of the Council of State regarding the annulment petition filed by the Municipality of Kalamaria against the Presidential Decree concerning the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment, and the corresponding annulment petition for the related Joint Ministerial Decision is also pending.
During the same period, a dialogue is underway between the Ministry, the HRADF, and the Municipality of Kalamaria. In this context, the Mayor of Kalamaria has clearly stated the Municipality’s positions and red lines, as reflected in the decisions of the Municipal Council, and is awaiting the outcome of the dialogue.
In this dialogue, the Municipality of Kalamaria has come forward with clear positions and well-documented, solid arguments, with the sole aim of protecting the public space and ensuring the sustainability of our area.
The HRADF unexpectedly chose to proceed with the announcement of the tender for the Marina, from which it becomes clear that the positions and views of the Municipality of Kalamaria have started to be understood. This is confirmed by the special reference made to the use of Remezzo as a cultural space the Kalamaria Municipal Library, while for the first time the construction of a hotel is subject to conditions.
However, these references do not meet the demands of the Municipality of Kalamaria.
The Ministry of Economy and the HRADF still have the opportunity to ensure the essential conditions needed for Kalamaria to obtain a modern marina that respects the coastal environment and serves local development, with clear and binding provisions to abandon real estate plans.
The Municipality of Kalamaria will carefully study every aspect of the tender and will take a clear position in the near future, firmly defending the decisions of its collective bodies and the right of the local community to have a meaningful say in the future of their city.”
