The news that the privatisation tender for Kalamata Airport, which includes its comprehensive restructuring by the awarded consortium, is finally nearing completion, is a significant development for Mani and its residents. This event, expected to attract a significantly higher number of visitors to the larger area, adds to the already observed increase in tourist activity brought about by the completion, some years ago, of the motorway that safely and swiftly connected the capital Athens to Kalamata and Sparta. The economic impact of these major investments on the region could be continuous and upward, as long as we learn to cooperate and promote the fair claims of our land in a coordinated manner.

Gone are the days when the significant number of Mani residents allowed critical issues of the region to be promoted to central government and addressed effectively. The population decline due to internal and external migration as well as the low birth rates, has significantly reduced the political leverage that could be exerted through the region’s once-strong electoral influence. Also nearly extinct are the patriotic politicians of earlier times, who seized every opportunity to advance public projects in our area.

The only way left to take advantage of the positive prospects created by favourable circumstances in the broader geographical area is through collaboration among our local regions, with coordinated efforts led by local government representatives. The historical alliances documented in the past, often reenacted during local anniversary events, are not merely fleeting spectacles or photographic records of individuals. They represent life paths and timeless lessons of effective actions. It would be wise for our representatives to keep these lessons in mind and take them into account when making decisions.

Those who have followed the long-term developments concerning Mani’s progress have noted the prolonged stagnation of critical public works related to the region’s main road axis. Their completion would significantly reduce travel time to the area for users of the motorway and airport. Specifically, two major public works were commissioned: in 1996, the study for bypassing the section Kampos-Stavropigio of the Kalamata-Kardamyli-Areopoli provincial road, and in 2006, the study for the Sparta-Gytheio national road. Nearly 30 years have passed since the first project and 20 years since the second, but minimal progress has been made! Although the responsible authorities are the Peloponnese Region (Περιφέρεια Πελοποννήσου) for the first project and the Ministry of Infrastructure (Υπουργείο Υποδομών) for the second, there are also responsibilities of the local government for tolerating their prolonged stagnation. It appears that it has not been fully understood that the local government, beyond its exclusive responsibilities related to current management issues, has a say and rights regarding significant matters that impact the region’s economy and its residents. While it may not have the budget to fund these projects, it has the capacity to apply pressure on those with actual jurisdiction. Advocacy by its representatives to relevant authorities, publicising the necessity of these projects through the media, and mobilising residents, especially during sensitive electoral periods, are powerful tools with proven effectiveness. However, this requires the local government and its representatives to demonstrate the willingness to organise, coordinate, and direct these actions – something which unfortunately has not been seen in recent years…

Now, with the upgrade of Kalamata Airport set to boost tourism in the Peloponnese through increased flights and organised travel packages, the urgency of improving travel time from the airport to Mani’s tourist destinations becomes imperative. Equally critical is the need for the local government, professional bodies, and cultural organisations to intervene with the relevant authorities to “unblock” the aforementioned road projects. This would ensure that the flow of visitors to Mani benefits the tourism sector and the region as a whole. Specifically, the small bypass project for Kampos-Stavropigio is at an advanced planning stage, requiring only the preparation of the route’s land registry and funding for its tendering. Additionally, the studies for the Kardamyli and Agios Nikon bypasses, as well as the section from the intersection to Monemvasia until Gytheio of the Sparta-Gytheio national road, need to be completed through strong interventions with the authorities, so that funding can subsequently be pursued.

We hope that our recommendations will contribute to the necessary activation of local government and other collective bodies in our region.

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

  A law was recently passed by the Parliament aimed at more effectively regulating water management. Its main feature is the restructuring of how water networks are managed. In most areas, except for Attica and the Thessaloniki region, management is handled by the municipalities through municipal water supply companies or through their own budget. The new law aims to establish and operate a water supply company in each prefecture (νομός), which will be responsible for both utilising springs and other water reserves, as well as for the development of distribution networks and the financial management of water consumption.

    The main impetus for this new legislation was the reduction of water reserves due to decreased rainfall and the ineffective way in which municipal water companies or municipalities have been managing water distribution. On one hand, these entities have accumulated deficits in their budgets, and on the other hand, they have unevenly distributed available water quantities, while failing to enhance their water reserves through necessary projects to exploit potential underground sources.

    Τhe issue also concerns the Mani region, which has so far only minimally utilised the water resources hidden within the Taygetus mountain range that runs through it. Furthermore, the management of water quantities distributed to consumers has been anything but fair.

    Because of the seriousness of this issue, we will closely monitor its development over the long period that will be required until this legislation reaches the level of practical implementation and will keep our readers informed.

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Widespread collusion and corruption is a global phenomenon. It is closely connected to the political developments of the post-industrial period, which had two main characteristics: the overcoming of ideological frameworks and the overdevelopment of individualism. Since the theoretical bases of ideologies led to shared values that defined the boundaries of citizens’ lives and activities, the weakening of ideologies has critically undermined those values, reducing their general acceptance. As a result, individual interests have emerged as a dominant pursuit, overturning the delicate balance between personal and social interests.

The promotion of social goals and prospects, centered around state administrations, has been eroded under these emerging trends. Individual pursuits by certain members within administration and management have played a role in upsetting the balance between personal and social interests. This has created collusion, which promotes private interests through the machinery of state administration. Such activities have become the main cause of the proliferation of corruption, spreading across a broad spectrum of the economy, the structures of the wider public sector, and those people dealing with them.

It would be discouraging if such phenomena led citizens, those who still believe in principles and values and aspire to transparent and efficient governance, to abandon their critisicm in this kind of situations and to attempt to intervene, both in word and action, in order to combat these issues. The frequently expressed political will of the state to take measures that expose and suppress such phenomena is a motivating factor in this endeavour. However, the declared government intention for reforms must focus on addressing this kind of phenomena in a radical way, starting with the detection of their hidden forms and following through to the exposure of their anti-social consequences.

The public disclosure of all financial transactions involving the state could empower citizens to access and process relevant information, particularly within the sphere of their interest, to identify illegal activities. These open procedures, through the publication of all their aspects, can form an initial barrier to tendencies toward collusion and corruption. Citizens have welcomed two broad-based initiatives from previous governments: the establishment of the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP) in 1994, under the ministry of Anastasios Peponis, for public sector recruitment, and the Transparency (Diavgeia) program in 2010, which mandates the publication of all decisions by state agencies and public organisations.

Additionally, the establishment of the Internal Affairs Directorate within the Greek Police in 1999 and the Financial Police Directorate in 2014 has significantly advanced efforts to combat collusion and corruption, although their effectiveness varies depending on the leadership in place. These institutions, along with the development of the Information Technology sector over the decades that have intervened since then, constitute an initial barrier against collusion and corruption. However, experience has shown that these measures are insufficient, particularly as trends toward privatising public goods intensify over time.

The main obstacle to creating a healthier environment lies in the very structure of the public sector and the mentality that characterises much of the hierarchy, from top to bottom. Indifference and guilty silence in response to attempts to share critical information are key traits of this mindset, ultimately leading concerned citizens to give up their efforts to seek relevant data or abandon their desire for in-depth investigations into the actions of public administrations and organisations. The European Commission’s expertise in establishing and operating the Internal Audit Service, tasked with monitoring and controlling its services while providing guidance under the direct supervision of a judicial body (the European Court of Auditors), could serve as a model for our country. It is widely acknowledged that the public works sector, in particular, requires radical reform, along with continuous monitoring and oversight to ensure the efficient use of public funds.

The above issues, as noted, also affect organisations, funded by the state, such as local governments. Similar proposals for internal control and monitoring of local government affairs in our region, Mani, are especially necessary given the limited financial resources, which demand maximum efficiency.

                                                                                                THE EDITORIAL BOARD