Calling it an essential part of the country's crucial Stability Programme, which was recently submitted to the European Union, Prime Minister Yiorgos Papandreou is pushing hard for the rapid implementation of his Kallikratis Plan, possibly in time for the local elections in November.

According to Mr. Papandreou, the Kallikratis plan would result in a new administrative architecture for local authorities that would be simple, functional and stable, leading to powerful and efficient municipalities armed with new powers and resources, and self-administrating regions with important responsibilities.

He underlined that the new architecture of local government is included in the total planning of the  government, in order that on November 14 the municipal elections take place in the all new powerful municipalities and regions.    

In response to the plan's introduction as a bill to the parliament, all the mayors comprising the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities met recently to discuss its pros and cons.

Following the meeting, the Khronicles sat down with the mayors of N. Alikarnassos, Gouves, Hersonissos and Malia to get their reading on the consolidation plan.

 "The programme will constitute the biggest and more important doing in the current data of the Greek state with radical changes in the administrative system of the country," Alikarnassos said. "However, any big change and decision in the local government should be a decision of society itself."

Mr. Sisamakis said that he has already held an open meeting with residents and members of local school and cultural associations, to discuss the plan.

"A proposal that enjoyed a favourable acceptance from all participants was the creation of a new municipality, the Municipality of Nea Alikarnassos," he reported. "It would be an eminently urban Municipality formed in conjunction with Gouves, which has more strong elements of tourist growth, and Episkopi, which allocates a farming character."

Alikarnassos Mayor Sisamakis holds
town hall meeting with constituents

Gouves mayor Yiorgos Nikolakakis said he considers it an exceptionally difficult one to conclude, given the many factors needed - economic but mainly administrative and legal - to become reality by November.

"There is just no time for all that problem solving," he said. "And more importantly, we must evaluate what we now have in our municipalities before we attempt to form new ones."

However, Mr. Nikolakakis revealed that two new formations have already been proposed, and that they both have merit.

"One was suggested by the Institute of Local Governments, a municipality including Malia, Hersonissos, Gouves and Episkopi, and the other with Alikarnassos as either an autonomous one or linked with Gouves and Episkopi," he said.  "A municipality with Hersonissos, Gouves, Malia and Episkopi would command a large part of tourist growth on the island, and would be a major municipality on the condition that tourism is in fact a developing prospect of the future. On the other hand, if linked with Alikarnassos, the demos will be shaped into an urban pole. Many Gouvians have houses and/or relations in Nea Alikarnassos."

The Gouves mayor said he will hold in-depth consultations with all his constituents, not just associations and council members.

"I want to safeguard a decision that would really be in the interest of the municipality and not to divide it into two factions, where one wants east and the other west," he explained.

Hersonissos Mayor Yiorgos Danelakis said that he, as with all the mayors, is basically positive towards the Kallikratis plan.

 "However, I am somewhat distrustful regarding its realization," he said. "Certainly, in the next three-month period there will be many examples to re-enforce my predicted reservations."

Mr. Danelakis said he would like to see Hersonissos bound together with others that have the same problems and objectives, but also the same dreams of its residents if and when the plan is approved. 

Malia mayor Kostas Lagoudakis said the plan, as a general philosophy, is moving in a correct direction.

"It will result in effective municipalities, functional, autonomous and viable, having as the main objective the regional growth and serving the residents," he predicted. "However, further studies are required before the voting process is to commence".

He said that, as a local government, Malia is ready to fulfill the big objectives and needs of modern society, but the municipality has its own proposals and visions.

"The Malia municipality must coexist with other local municipalities that fulfill the economic, social, geographic, cultural and demographic criteria, in order for a clear identity to surface that will give new growth opportunities equally and effectively," he concluded.

In addition to the mayors, The Khronicles queried many local residents as to their thoughts on the Kallikratis plan. Following is only a short sample of their responses:

"They can’t manage as a small demos so how are they going to manage as a big one?" asked Jill McMonagle of Kokkini Hani. "In our demos, work always seems to be concentrated around a certain area to the detriment of other areas. I can’t see how things will improve if the municipalities are made bigger."

Another Kokkini Hani resident, Lefteris Katsounas, said: "I don’t think it will happen, but if it does it will take years, not months. But when it does happen, I think it may be better for everyone."

Petros Anagnostakis, a private sector employee from Hersonissos, said: "I believe that it can be productive, but it would be difficult for the population distribution in municipalities that are not densely populated. I think the economic management of the new municipalities will be difficult and services to the residents will be hindered."

The majority of those interviewed in the survey were in favour of the Kallikratis plan, but all were sceptical as to the time frame of its implementation.