Zervas is pleased that he will run for a second term in the Municipality of Thessaloniki
“I put Thessaloniki above everything. This is my personal compass. A destination city, a place to live and create. Not a stepping stone for politics.” With the personal commitment of the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Zervas and officially yesterday (10/10) his decision to be a new candidate in the upcoming municipal elections.
In the context of an open event, from the packed Concert Hall, Konstantinos Zervas addressed an open call “to join forces, claim and succeed with everything we deserve”. “With your own support, your own love, your own contribution and criticism, that we will succeed again. Thessaloniki now has an agenda, it has a vision. Everyone admits it. So just as I invited you in 2019 to turn ‘why not in Thessaloniki’ into a ‘YES to Thessaloniki’, I invite you today to say a big ‘YES’ again: For a modern city, for the generations that live today and dream, but above all for the generations that follow”, said the Mayor of Thessaloniki, addressing the crowd that attended the event of the “Yes to Thessaloniki” municipal faction.
“I want the support of my fellow citizens”
In his speech, Constantinou Zerva set his own framework regarding the support of the parties on the way to the self-governing polls.
“Many people ask me if I want to have the support of the parties in this effort. I answer directly: Any support is welcome. But first, I want to have the support of my fellow citizens. Because the Self-Government of the 21st century is a matter for the citizens”, noted Mr. Zervas.
Commitment to 7+1 projects
For the Thessaloniki of 2030, Konstantinos Zervas emphasized that it would be a new city and undertook the personal implementation of eight emblematic projects, which, as he said, will mark the new view of Thessaloniki but also transform it into one of the most beautiful cities in Mediterranean and Europe.
Among these projects is Eleftheria Square, for which Mr. Zervas made it clear that it will be used as a “memorial park for our fallen Jewish fellow citizens”. The projects prioritized by the Mayor of Thessaloniki also include:
1. Reconstruction of Aristotle’s axis.
2. Old beach deck.
3. Papafi Stables, with their emergence into a multi-purpose space with greenery, social structures, cultural and sports activities.
4. Holocaust Museum – is implemented with the decisive contribution of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, which offered an additional eleven acres to the initially inadequate plans.
5. Park for all in Toumba, the first park to implement the principle of equal access.
6. Opening of Psellou Street with the creation of a transfer hub, with lots of greenery, parking and unprecedented financing for expropriations amounting to 12 million euros.
7. Diikitirio Square with highlighting of the antiquities and construction of the marble square.
Red lines for transportation, traffic, security and financing. But beyond his goal for Thessaloniki in 2030, Constantinos Zervas also set his own red lines for major issues, such as transportation, traffic, security and financing.
“The State must realize that it must allocate the necessary resources and people, so that Thessaloniki has the policing it needs”, he noted. At the same time, he raised the issue of strengthening the traffic with more traffic wardens, in order to regulate traffic and relieve traffic congestion. “It is an issue that I have asked at every level – publicly and privately. Finally let it be done”, emphasized the Mayor of Thessaloniki.
Referring, furthermore, to the issue of urban transport, he underlined that although the situation is much better than in 2019 – after the positive contribution of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, which bought at an extremely low price and offered 49 buses to OASTH – the the need for more vehicles and denser routes remains. “Citizens cannot wait any longer”, is the message sent by the Mayor of Thessaloniki. He also noted that for the metro, even though it is not formally under his authority, the Municipality of Thessaloniki stepped forward to support the immediate completion of the works.
Mr. Zervas also raised the question of the resources that should be allocated for the country’s second largest city. “Everyone must understand that the powers and responsibilities must come with the funding of a metropolitan municipality. Because this is what is required for Thessaloniki in 2030: A metropolitan administration”, he underlined.
Reduction of municipal fees by 30%
Presenting an account of his three-year term in the Municipality of Thessaloniki, Mr. Zervas made a special reference to the global distinctions recorded for Thessaloniki, including its inclusion in the Unesco Network of Creative Poles in the field of gastronomy, with its selection from the Commission in the 100 climate neutral cities by 2030, with its recognition. in the 50 best destinations in the world by Time magazine, etc.
The Mayor of Thessaloniki characteristically stated that “there is no precedent in the funding recorded from every possible source and which exceeds 160 million euros for projects of substance and perspective, beyond the Municipality’s own resources”. His central position spoke about the reduction of municipal fees by 30%, with the aim of relieving citizens and professions that are also pressured by the increase in energy costs.
Furthermore, he referred to the major projects that are in progress as well as to the interventions that are being made in the neighborhoods, saying characteristically that “there is no neighborhood without a construction site, without the care of the Municipality. “In my eyes, Thessaloniki is developing into a modern European metropolis. A point of reference, an entrance gate and signaling a Greece that is changing and moving forward”, emphasized Mr. Zervas.
The event was attended by, among others, the Minister of the Interior, responsible for Macedonia – Thrace issues, Stavros Kalafatis, President of the Steering Committee of ND Thessaloniki Zisis Ioakimovits, President of DEEP A’ Thessaloniki Thodoris Mitrakas, Kostas Goulas Goulas, Thoulekis, Maria Spyrakis, Voulekis: Kouvelas, Anna Efthymiou, Former presidents of the ND Thessaloniki Tassos Spiliopoulos and Minas Samantzidis and the former president of NODE Center of Thessaloniki Tassos Emmanoulidis, The deputy regional governor of Thessaloniki Voula Patoulidou, Development and Environment Kostas Youtikas, Fainomagons, the regional advisors. The Mayors of Ampelokipi – Menemeni Lazaros Kyrizoglou, Kalamaria Yiannis Dardamanelis, Chalkidona Stavros Anagnostopoulos, Thermaikou Giorgos Tsamaslis, Thermis Thodoros Papadopoulos, Katerinis Kostas Koukodimos, The former Thessaloniki Mayor Municipal Mimis, Sotiris Kapetanopoulos and the former municipal councilors Babis Thandronos Barbounakis, Giorgos Tanidomos , Vangelis Dimitriou, Soso Adamidou Giuleka, Thanasis Papanastasiou, Father Athenagoras – Lighthouse of the World, The President of the World, The President of Macedonia.
The President of TIF-Helexpo Tassos Tzikas and the Managing Director Kyriakos Poizrikidis, The President of the Thessaloniki Medical Association Nikos Nitsas
The President of the Hellenic Dental Federation Thanasis Devliotis, The President of the Dental Association of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Kougias, The President of the Labor Center of Thessaloniki Haris Kyprianidis, The President of the OATH Kostas Taggedriris and the former President of the Dental Association, The President of the Dental Center of Thessaloniki Haris Kyprianidis, the Finance Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce Vassilis Georgiadis, The President of the Thessaloniki Film Festival Eleftheria Thanoulis and the Artistic Director of the Greek Film Festival Orestes Andreadakis, The President of the Thessaloniki State Orchestra Stathis Georgiadis
The sculptor and painter Kostis Georgiou, The President of Kavtanzoglio Stadium Yiannis Sossidis, The General Director of EDA THESS Leonidas Bakouras
The President of the Industrial Chamber of Thessaloniki Anastasios Kapnopolis, The President of the Thessaloniki Hoteliers Union Andreas Mandrinos The President of TEE/TKM Giorgos Tsakoumis, The Governor of AHEPA Panagiotis Panteliadis, The President of the Thessaloniki Hoteliers Union
Representatives of the Professional Chamber of Thessaloniki, the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and other productive bodies, Olympian Tasoula Kelesidou
President A.S. PAOK Thanasis Katsaris, General Secretary Thanasis Kapetanakis, PAE Vice President Aris Nikos Trimmatis, International Veteran Footballer Zisis Vryzas