"After 4.5 years of political controversy, we have given a solution.
We chose both Metro and the antiquities. We joined the forces of the
city. Today, for the first time the government, the Region, the
Municipality, productive bodies and, of course, the vast majority of
citizens, we are all together. The CAC (Central Archaeological Council)
vindicated us.
Soon we will have the decision of the CoC and I firmly believe that this
will vindicate us as well. To deliver the whole project in 2023" said
Mr. Karamanlis characteristically, regarding the Thessaloniki Metro.
Referring to the new upgraded Thessaloniki ring road, the so-called
"flyover", he characterized it as the most emblematic of the new
generation projects, launched by the government nationwide. The planning
for the implementation of the flyover with PPP (Public-Private
Partnership), he added, "is progressing in record time".
Project plan of €13 billion
Mr. Karamanlis reminded that, when it comes to infrastructure, the
government is implementing "a plan of projects totaling more than 13
billion euros, the largest the country has seen since the Olympic Games
and the period 2004-2009, when the new highways began». He reiterated
the assessment that 2021 may be the year of infrastructure for Greece,
as "the work that has been done in the field of projects for a year and a
half, is starting to bear fruit".
He added that all the projects planned and unblocked by his ministry
have one thing in common: they have a specific funding plan and a
realistic implementation schedule. "We do not promise things that we do
not know if and how to implement. And we are certain that the plan we
have drawn up, can be implemented," he stressed.
Regarding the revision of the new law on public procurement (Law 4412),
he explained that his two goals are absolute transparency and the
implementation of projects on time. "We want better projects to be done
on time, with transparency and absolute respect for taxpayers' money.
And I want this to be absolutely clear to anyone who is interested in
investing in Greece," he stressed.
Among other things, he pointed out that the new law reforms the system
of guarantees, which provided the possibility of submitting extremely
low bids. "It drastically tackles pathogens such as unusually low bids,
supervision, supplementary contracts, judicial review," he said, adding
that new institutions are being introduced at the same time, such as
strengthening the design-construction system, implementing the
provisions for strategic investments in large projects, accelerating
procedures such as the award notice, the private supervision, the
declaration system, the arbitration. Along with the changes in Law 4412,
a new tool is being introduced: the innovation proposals, that seek to
leverage the private sector.
Thessaloniki: The Metro, the flyover and the plan for € 13 billion's worth of projects.
Thessaloniki: The Metro, the flyover and the plan for € 13 billion's worth of projects.
During his speech at an online event for the reception of the new year at the Technical Chamber of Greece / Department of Central Macedonia (TEE / TKM), the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Costas Karamanlis, expressed the belief that the decision of the Council of State for the antiquities in the Thessaloniki Metro will be issued soon and "I firmly believe will vindicate us, so that in 2023 we will hand over the entire project".
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RE+D magazine
11.02.2021
It is estimated that the long-suffering metro project will be delivered in 2023.
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