The representatives of the public and private associations of entrepreneurs of the city of Thessaloniki support the Metro Project and shall participate in the establishment of a cooperative relation in order to jointly address the problems emerging throughout the construction of the Project and to promote the Metro Project.
In the following days, these representatives propose specific measures to support the affected entrepreneurs and joint actions to promote the Project, to display the archaeological finds and shall make their proposals on the text of the Memorandum of Cooperation to be jointly agreed upon between ATTIKO METRO S.A. and the public and private associations of the city of Thessaloniki.
The above actions were agreed during the productive meeting held on January 10th, 2011 at ATTIKO METRO S.A./Thessalonki Metro premises. This was the first out of four meetings to be held in January with the city’s public and private associations in the framework of the effort to jointly establish a cooperative relationship, whose scope and content shall be presented in the aforementioned Memorandum.
This meeting was presided by Mr. Yiannis Magriotis, Deputy Minister of YPOMEDI, and attended by representatives of 12 associations. The Deputy Minister assured that the funds required for Kalamaria extension, a Project currently at the tendering process, have been secured, while the preparation of preliminary designs for the westbound Metro extensions, as well as the eastbound extension to “Makedonia” Airport, is expedited.
“As planned by ATTIKO METRO S.A., the Metro network shall be 33 km long, featuring 33 stations. Almost half of the necessary funds have been secured while the rest shall be reserved, so that the works are completed in 2018 or 2020, at the latest”, stated the Deputy Minister.
The Metro Project constitutes an extremely important part of the Transportation Infrastructure Strategic Plan (Master Plan 2010 – 2020), since approximately 4 billion Euros shall be allocated to its construction out of a total amount of 8-10 billion Euros to be invested.
During the said meeting and after the brief updating given to the attendants on the progress of the Project by Mr. George Konstantinidis, Thessaloniki Metro Project Manager, they expressed their support to the Project and the establishment of a cooperative relation between the city’s private and public associations and ATTIKO METRO S.A..
The proposals of the associations involved
Subsequently, the participating associations committed themselves to submit in writing their proposals and requests within the next 15 days and expressed their request for the acceleration of the construction works, adherence to the time schedules and support to the affected enterprises located in areas where the stations are constructed. Moreover, the question of strengthening the entrepreneurship was examined in the framework of a wider plan whose core is, among other things, the redevelopment of specific areas located around the stations and mainly the stations of the historic center.
The representatives of following associations participated in the meeting:
Thessaloniki Chamber of Handicrafts, Chairman Mr. Panagiotis Papadopoulos
Federation of Trade Professionals of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, Chairman Mr. Yiannis Mandrinos
Technical Chamber of Greece/ Central Macedonia, Chairman Mr. Tassos Konaklidis & Mr. Yiannis Chatzopoulos, member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Strategic Plan Team (SSYM)
EGNATIA ODOS S.A., Chairman Tassos Mouratidis & Mr. Michael Tsitotos, Deputy Engineering Chief
Geotechnical Chamber of Greece (GEOTEE)/ Central Macedonia, Chairman Panagiotis Platis
Thessaloniki Master Plan Organization, Chairman Panos Stathakopoulos
Labor and Employment Center of Thessaloniki, Chairman Mr. Panagiotis Tsaramboulidis
Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Thessaloniki, Mr. Manolis Vlachoyiannis, Vice Chairman A
Professionals Chamber of Thessaloniki, Mr. Christos Vassilakos, Vice-Chairman
Thessaloniki Trade Association, Mr. Kosmas Kaloyiannis, Vice Chairmann, and Ms. Christina Molfesi, Manager
Exporters’ Association of Northern Greece (SEVE), Mr. Dimitris Raidis, member of the BoD
Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers, Mr. Lazaros Chatzinakos, Publishing and Projects Manager
Mr. Orestis Kalogirou, member of the Committee of Professors in charge of the preparation of the Specifications for the Masterplan.
