Αρχείο κατηγορίας MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH

MANY QUESTIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MUNICIPAL FOUR-YEAR TERM

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH

In this column we always try to present topics that are closely related to the future of Mani and Greece in general. We specifically focus on municipal issues, because it is the municipal infrastructures of Mani that bring probably the highest big-scale investments in our area.  Municipal investments affect positively or negatively the quality of life of all inhabitants and landowners of Mani. We need efficient municipal investments not only in big-scale undertakings by the region (Περιφέρεια) and both municipalities of Western and Eastern Mani (Δήμοι Δυτικής και Ανατολικής Μάνης), but also in small-scale works and the maintenance of existing public works, so that the Maniots and the visitors of Mani enjoy reasonable comfort and all necessitites. In the next few paragraphs we will try to examine a few issues that will have to be dealt with during the new municipal four-year term.

Firstly, the vagueness of the new pieces of legislation that were passed by the Greek Parliament this year does not help in administering municipal affairs. The changes in legislation create uncertainty in the personal goals of individuals and cause undue difficulty in the cooperation and discussions/consultations between citizens. The enforcement of proportional representation in municipal elections, without the necessary safeguards to avoid potential problems, has created uncertainty in the capability of the municipal government to efficiently manage even the most basic social commodities, such as water, electricity, waste management, road construction etc.

The recent legislative initiatives attempt to alleviate some of the uncertainties and insecurities of the original piece of legislation, which became evident after the municipal elections of May 26 and June 3 of this year. The provision for consultation and collaboration on a regular basis between the mayor and the regional governor (περιφερειάρχης) for the whole length of the four-year term is a factor for stability and the creation of a larger number of decision-makers. However, the transfer of responsibilities from the elected larger municipal or regional councils to the smaller committees or legal persons (with a majority of members from the party of the mayor or regional governor) makes us sceptical. The transfer of issues of minor importance to smaller governing bodies, with the possibility of a referral back to the municipal or regional councils, at the request of minority municipal or regional councilors, could be a step in the right direction, as it would take the congestion off the large councils. However, the provision that a smaller entity, such as a local representative of a small municipality needs to submit an alternative budget in order to vote against a budget submitted by the mayor or regional governor is very unrealistic.

Unrealistic and misguided is the provision of the new legislation that strips the small communities (κοινότητες) from the right to make their own decisions regarding the construction and maintenance of small-scale public works and which forces them to simply submit a proposal in this regard to the municipalities. Electing the local representatives (τοπικοί εκπρόσωποι) of each municipality (δήμος) with a separate ballot and ballot box gives them special democratic characteristics and hopefully enables them to respond quickly and efficiently to the needs of  the residents of their small communities. The bureaucratic bottlenecks that were the result of the 1998 and 2010 mergings meant a neglect of the local public infrastructures. The local representatives of these communities know best these needs and as a result, are the ones who could efficiently manage them.

In the previous paragraphs we have examined a few issues that need to be dealt during the new four-year municipal term. What is now needed is the willingness of the local politicians to rise above egotism and develop a climate of team work. Only with altruism and a sincere desire to work closely with others they will manage to exploit to the fullest the limited power that the central government gives to the municipal administration. This is particularly true in areas such as Mani, where entrepreneurial activity is limited , and where the two municipalities of Eastern and Western Mani are the main players for the development of the region and the improvement in the standard of living of the residents. As it has happened many times in the past, again in this new municipal four-year term, elected local politicians need to go beyond the traditional egotism that has characterised Maniots for centuries. If we put aside our personal interests and strive for the common good instead, then we can collaboratively make the right decisions and create the infrastructure that our area needs so desperately.

HOW HISTORIC EVENTS INFLUENCED THE LONG-TERM DEMOGRAPHICS OF MANI

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, Εφημερίδα

Finding out the family history and compiling a genealogical tree is not an easy task for Maniots, particularly for the periods before the foundation of the modern Greek state. At that time there were few official documents, and family archives were kept only by village leaders and merchants. These archives contain little information about the social activities and inter-territorial relations. This void is partially filled by historical knowledge. We know the important events between Greece and other states of each period, and in particular the course of diplomatic relations, the wars and the treaties with other countries. This kind of information gives us an idea of the social actitivies and the life in the areas that were affected by these events. Historic events define mass migrations and eventually the demographics of a particular area. During the pre-revolution era in particular, the demographics of Mani were greatly influenced by the historic events of that period. Maniots immigrated to other areas, but Mani also received a great number of people who came there from other areas. (On page 2 of every issue of our newspaper, MANIOT SOLIDARITY, you can find a lot of information on these mass migrations. The information relating to the historic events that caused these migrations has been classified in the first volume of our book PAGES FROM THE HISTORY OF MANI, and will be completed in the forthcoming second volume). 

   The main cause for the migration of many population groups in Mani, particularly in the pre-revolutionary era, was its strategic geographic location, as well as the combat readiness of its people and the good performance of Maniots in diplomacy. Mani’s geographic location was advantageous, because its coast was near the route of the merchant ships coming from ports in the West and heading towards the large urban centres of the East. Western European states were looking for alliances with Mani, which would protect their ships in case of adverse weather conditions and against pirate attacks. The excellent fighting skills and the combat readiness of the Maniots constituted a centuries-long tradition . The constant updating of these war skills and the familiarity with modern warfare made the Maniots sought-after allies, both in times of war and peace. Maniot priests and warlords were both equally competent negotiators, who examined the political situation of each period in a realistic and objective way, and then sided at the right time with the appropriate allies.

   The important events that influenced mass migrations during the two centuries before the foundation of the modern Greek state were the Ottoman invasions in Mani during the 17th century, the 30-year Venetian occupation that followed, and then the second Turkish occupation, which together with the period of “autonomous leadership” (αυτόνομη ηγεμονία) in Mani, lasted until the Greek war of independence in 1821. These historic events brought demographic changes in Mani, the effects of which continue to the present day. We will try to give here a brief account of these events. The invasion of strong Ottoman and Algerian forces in Kotronas Bay during the second decade of the 17th century resulted in the occupation of 80% of the territory of Mani and caused the first mass wave of immigration of Maniots to the West.  A second strong wave of immigration of Maniots occurred during the 1670’s, when, immediately after the occupation of Crete by Ottoman forces, the Turks built three forts in Mani (in Zarnata, Kelefa and Passava), and reinforced them with military and administrative personnel. The 30-year Venetian occupation that followed (1685-1710) led some Turks who had settled in the area to convert to Christianity and become permanent residents of Mani. The same happened to many Venetians who had settled in the area, after the new  Ottoman occupation of Mani, during the middle of the second decade of the 18th century. Finally, the last strong immigration wave towards Mani occurred in the eighth decade of the same century  by refugees from other regions, who were forced to leave their homes due to the Albanian terrorism[1] in the Peloponnese, after the suppression of the Orlov uprising by the Turks and the subsequent withdrawal of the Russian troops.

In most cases, the Maniot immigrants abroad got assimilated into their new countries. The same applied, even more strongly, to the immigrants who settled in Mani. They quickly got assimilated into the culture, customs and religious practices of Mani, and in some cases they strenthened with their talents the contribution of Mani to the Greek independence war. Traces of these mass movements can be still found today…

[1] This terrorism was caused by the Albanian mercenaries who had been hired by the Ottomans to help suppress the Orlov uprising; the Turkish authorities were unable to pay them their promised wages, and the mercenaries were left ravaging and plundering the villages of the Peloponnese.

 

CAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL PROTECTION CO-EXIST?

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΦΥΛΛΟ ΠΟΥ ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΕΙ, εφημερίδα

 

   The measures for the protection of the midde and the lower socio-economic class (which constitute the majority of citizens) are the most important issues during pre-election campaigns. The question is whether the measures promised during campaign periods are realistic. The results of the most recent elections have proven that the policy of overtaxing the middle class in order to subsidise the underclass did not bring any political advantage. Radical measures and redistribution policies, like the ones imposed by totalitarian systems which collapsed in the 1990’s, were also not effective. Political leaders are searching for politically effective measures, which will impress the electorate.

It seems that almost all political parties are trying to present programs, measures and policies that fall under the term “social market economy”. Social market economy is “a free market economic system, which conforms to the laws of supply and demand, and is directly overseen by the state, so that societal groups of reduced competitiveness, such as the elderly and the unemployed, are protected.” It will be interesting to see what the electorate will decide, i.e., which political party will be able to better implement social market economy policies. The difference in the proposed policies will depend on whether a political party favours statism (“all state”) or competition (“all market”).  In this article, we will concentrate on the following 5 questions:

1) Can an inflated public sector co-exist with the notion of social market economy? Is competitiveness possible in a state with an inflated public sector? Is it possible to lower the price of products and services and at the same time have profitable businesses, which in turn will be able to employ large numbers of people and make further investments?

2) Can a small public sector with limited scope, such as defense, security, public health, institutional protection through independent authorities and compulsory education, and also stringent supervision of economic competition, bring positive economic development for the population at large?

3) Should the social protection of those societal groups unable to be competitive, such as the elderly or unemployed, be provided only when there is no “free-riding” due to tax evasion and tax avoidance?

4) We live at a time of globalisation, when the prices of products and services are determined according to the production cost. In this society, can productivity only be improved through good training, technology and entrepreneurship? Are there any other ways for balancing the imports and exports of our country, or is the increase in productivity, so that prices are competitive, the only way?

5) After the traumatic experiences of the last ten years, has the majority of the electorate finally understood that distribution policies based on borrowing funds always lead to economic impasses? have they understood that the same conditions always produce the same results, and that in future it is advisable to steer clear of “false prosperity” policies?

Maniots have in their ancestry both of these concepts: the competitive process and the social protection. Our ancestors were practising these policies for many centuries, and we, their descendants, have inherited them. The many towers of Mani provided protection from the competition between families, which often ended in warfare. However, warfare did not exclude reconciliation, especially in times of urgency or shared objectives. The protection of the economically disadvantaged, who were recognized as equal members of the small society of each village, was always one of the main objectives.

CAN A SYNTHESIS OF PLURALISM IN THE MUNICIPAL SECTOR BE ACHIEVED IN A SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTIVE WAY?

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, εφημερίδα

We believe that it is possible, but only under certain conditions. The first condition has to do with the reason for which candidates want to run in the municipal elections. The second condition is related to the establishment of the norms for a healthy competition between different ideas and proposals in these elections. In theory, it sounds as if these conditions can be easily met, however, in our country this is not a simple task. Of course, we do have some examples of local politicians who governed in the past in an honest way, they put the common good above their personal interests, were productive, left a legacy in the areas they governed, and their descendants are today enjoying a good reputation because of them. Unfortunately, in our time, the era of “homo economicus”, this kind of governance does not happen very often, and the results of poor administration are disastrous in many municipalities and regions.  

If the candidates and the elected politicians reflect on how they are going to balance their ambition and their ability for good administration, then good things will happen in the areas they represent. Problems will start if politicians are overly ambitious and overly confident about their management abilities. This leads to fraudulent situations with many negative results, one of which (not necessarily the worst) is the unwillingness to cooperate with the other elected politicians. When this happens, it leaves the door open for pursuing personal interest (not necessarily financial) transactions, which do not correspond to the common good or the needs of the societies that these politicians were elected to represent.

Humans, except for self-preservation instincts, also have innate ideas which connect them to society and nature. If politicians are guided in their administration by their higher selfless  ideas for the common good, then they will work closely together with other politicians, as required by the proportional representation system, and their self-preservation and ambitious ideas will be kept in check. When this happens, the pluralism of ideas and the exchange of opinions is rich, and the synthesis of these ideas is beneficial to everyone. One of the most useful things that elected politicians could do, would be to create an algorithm, based on sound criteria such as area, population, etc. of individual areas,  for the fair distribution of funds by the municipalities to local communities and by the administrative regions to regional units. In this way, the solidarity and the collaboration between the individual units, which constitute an administrative area, would be strengthened.

Unfortunately, political practice in our country, both in state and municipal politics, particularly in recent years, is not characterised by a spirit of compromise neither by social solidarity. It is very possible that this old and corrupted kind of practice will be continued by the new municipal leaders.  Whether regional agencies will be working for the common good depends greatly on the character of the newly-elected politicians. It is up to them to avoid personal interest deals, and to try to synthesise the ideas expressed by their electorate in a way that the highest number of people in their area is benefitted. If our politicians are inspired by a selfless way of thinking, then it is certain, that after a difficult beginning, they will be able to develop solid groundwork for future cooperation, which will benefit the area they represent.  This kind of healthy collaboration will also benefit the electorate, which will be thus encouraged to support the choices and decisions of their elected representatives.

We, as representatives of the association “Maniot Solidarity”, do not limit ourselves to being simple well-wishers for our newly-elected politicians in Mani and the Peloponnese in general. We state that we will be active, and we promise and that in our own small way will support initiatives and decisions like the ones we described above.

POLITICAL ETHICS: THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERION IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, εφημερίδα

Political activism is a fundamental obligation for all citizens, especially for those who possess not only natural abilities and social solidarity skills, but also organisational and management skills, acquired through knowledge and experience during the course of their lives. Political activism based on ambition is not in itself reprehensible, as long as the political skills of a particular candidate exceed his or her ambition. History has shown that those nations, which elect politicians with high social solidarity skills, excellent organisational and managerial skills as well as ambition, have enjoyed peace and a high standard of living for a very long time.

 

The above thoughts are very relevant at present, now that legislation has enforced proportional representation in both the municipal and parliamentary elections. We have already witnessed an unusually high number of candidates in the municipal elections and a “flight” of current members of parliament from constituencies with few supporters of their political party. We have also seen misguided political events, tailored to the upcoming proportional representation elections. All of these activities show that in many cases, ambition surpasses the abilities, knowledge, organisational and managerial skills of candidates.  It seems that many candidates, in addition to ambition, also have strong personal interest motives, financial and otherwise. These situations are a source of great concern for the election of a competent government for our country in the near future, first in the municipal sector and then in the state sector, since both municipal and state elections are both taking place in the year 2019.

 

In other countries, the activities described in the previous paragraph could be dismissed as random and occasional. In Greece, however, at a time when we are trying to exit from the ten-year long financial crisis of our country, caused mainly by financial irregularities on both the individual and state level, these activities are a cause for alarm, danger and great insecurity for the future. We see that many candidates for the next elections are currently following the same practices that have brought the public sector to bankruptcy. We need to search for the causes that have led us to the present situation, and to find ways to avoid catastrophic consequences that always follow the kind of activities described above.

 

A study of the history of different countries and geographical regions in the world proves that political ethics is the basis for individual nations’ success. The citizens of nations, which for a long time have been governed with strong political ethics, have been enjoying high prosperity and social wellbeing. Unfortunately, in our country, political ethics is not one of our strengths. On the contrary, we have seen elaborate schemes of disguising the personal and political motives of some candidates and the parties they belong to. These schemes, combined with the political immaturity of many members of the electorate, often bring to power populist leaders. Once a populist government is elected, the negative consequences of its governance are simply a matter of time.  Post-election allowances given to certain groups which helped elect a particular candidate or political party, do not offer a permanent solution to the economic distress of these groups, nor contribute to balancing out financial irregularities among the citizens.  On the contrary, they create resentment among those who are heavily taxed, and who in effect are paying for the allowances given to elected politicians’ favourite target groups.

 

In countries which have enjoyed for many years stable conditions of social and economic balance, citizens are politically mature enough to see through political and self-serving schemes, and therefore populist governments are a short-lived and easily reversed phenomenon. In countries like ours, particularly in the present precarious circumstances, choosing political candidates irresponsibly can be suicidal, because it changes Greece from a country with an uncertain future to a country with no future at all. This is why it is imperative that the most important criterion for electing a political candidate should be his or her political ethics. Only in this way the municipities, prefectures and the state will finally have an ethical and responsible government, which can then build a reasonable future for the generations to come.

 

In the present difficult circumstances, the Greek electorate has a moral obligation to look beyond personal interests, friendships and family relations. We need to vote for those candidates who have displayed social solidarity, effectiveness, but most importantly, political ethics in their personal and professional lives.

MANIOT SOLIDARITY”:  20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY  –  CONCEPT AND EVOLUTION

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, εφημερίδα

The current “Maniot Solidarity” is the 241st issue is our newspaper. This means that for 20 continuous years, our newspaper has been reaching its Maniot and philo-Maniot readers every single month, without interruption or multiple-month issues.

   At the beginning of 1999, when our association decided to publish a Maniot newspaper, we were not aware of the difficulties involved in such an undertaking. However, for those of us who were determined  to devote our precious free time to this effort, our love for Mani was stronger than the difficulties. For the past 20 years, we have kept researching and publishing data referring to the heritage that our ancestors have bequeathed to us, connecting elements of the past to the needs of the present and the prospects for the future. We have been envisaging a bright and prosperous future for Mani and its future generations. With optimism and strong will we are devoted to continuing our publication.

The course of our efforts has not always been smooth. We have encountered many obstacles in our path. Through team work and determination, the members of our association and its leaders managed to overcome these obstacles. Print media has been hit hard in recent years, and the economic crisis in our country has made matters even worse. We had to mobilise all our forces and resources in order to survive. We are grateful to our loyal readership who has supported us during these hard times. It is due to their support and our determination that we have managed to survive.

At the 10th anniversary of our newspaper, we decided to go further by expanding our publishing efforts. As our knowledge of the history and the evolution of social data in our area improved, we broadened our horizons, and ventured for the first time into the publication of books referring to Mani. Our publications so far have been: “Guide to Tourist Investments”, “Pages from the History of Mani, Volume I”, and “Western Mani: Sightseeing  Important Sites, Starting in Kalamata”. We continued with the publication of the 2-volume book “Travel Routes in Outer, Inner and Lower Mani and Vardounia” with detailed information on various villages.

   As the 20th anniversary of our newspaper drew near, our publishing efforts turned to electronic media. We have redesigned our website www.maniatiki.gr , which is being visited by a disproportionately high number of readers, given the small population of Mani. We have also completed the second volume of the book “Pages from the History of Mani”, which covers the historical period until the revolution of 1821, which will be published soon. Through both our printed and electronic press publications, we have strived to present to Maniots and philo-Maniots the history, geography, customs and traditions of Mani in a structured and objective way. We feel that in the multicultural Mani of today, it is our moral duty to showcase the long history of small Maniot societies and their achievements as well as their struggles for retaining their freedom and administrative autonomy through the centuries.

In closing this article, we think that is is timely to repeat an excerpt from the lead article of our first issue of April 1999: “By publishing this newspaper, we hope to fill a void. Mani is characterised by sparse settlements and populations. The infertile soil, the need for work and the civil conflicts have forced a high number of Maniots to emigrate to other areas of Greece and abroad. However, Maniots retain their main characteristics: their love for the land of their ancestors, its institutions, the activities of its inhabitants and their concern for a prosperous future. Our newspaper intends to inform on all these issues, as they are developing in the present time, so that Maniots can learn reliably and objectively the news of our area. Mani is an area integrated with its inhabitants, who through heredity and century-long living in the same physical area have developed a common way of life and have distinguished themselves in the Greek struggles for independence. Our newspaper will strive to locate relevant information and data in hard-to-find archives and resources , so that it becomes known to Maniots, and particularly young Maniots, and so that it can inspire all of us in our way forward.”

   On the occasion of our 20th anniversary, we assure our readers that today, in 2019, our newspaper continues on the same course. The main ideas which were expressed in the previous paragraphs should be considered as an open invitation to our younger readership, to align with the goals of our publishing efforts and prepare themselves for the future.

                                                                                                                                                THE EDITORIAL BOARD

COMPREHENSIVE AREA DEVELOPMENT OF MANI: 25 YEARS OF UNTAPPED POTENTIAL

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH

A few decades ago, two Greek prime-ministers, out of patriotism and ambitious national targets made two very important decisions for the future of our country. In 1980 Constantine Karamanlis achieved full membership of Greece in the EEC, and in 2000 Costas Simitis achieved membership of our country in the Eurozone. We believe that both these decisions were premature. These two prime-ministers did not realise that what was lacking was the political education of the Greek citizens. Greeks were unable to understand and assimilate the new rules that were governing this large transnational European family. Greek citizens were not mature enough to see beyond the personal gain, falsified figures, corruption and political bargaining. The consequence was that the very generous EU funds, which have been channelled to our country for the past forty years, have not been used for projects for the common good. The economic crisis, which broke out ten years ago, exposed the iceberg that had been created by the long-term incompetency of various political groups to make use of the high EU subsidies by providing common-good development benefits in their region. Mani is a good example of this incompetency and of not having used the EU funds in the best possible way.

In 1994 the EU announced a new initiative called “Leader II”, according to which there would be funding available for private and state investments. The geographic areas that would be receiving  funding should be homogeneous in terms of geography and having a population of under 20.000 people. Mani fell exactly in this category, and it was as if this programme had been designed specifically for our area! The small communities of Mani reacted with enthusiasm towards this new initiative. In no time, as prescribed by the EU, the limited liability agency “Development Enterprise of Mani” was formed, and was given 2,7 billion drachmas, 2/3 of which was meant to support private businesses with subsidies up to 60%, and the rest was meant to support public investments with 100% subsidy. The memorandum and articles of association of this agency were approved by the EU, and the projects were allocated fairly to different areas and municipalities of Mani. So that the selection of the proposed projects was fair and transparent, a 10-member evaluation committee was formed. The selection of the members of this committee was done during a convention of  the three development committees of Mani, with each committee contributing two engineers and one economist. The evaluation committee unanimously chose 32 investment projects from the 100 projects that were submitted, and it was the first to finish the selection procedure. Unfortunately, their choice of projects was not approved by the Greek Ministry of Agriculture and by some of the politicians of our region, who were after personal gain and were negatively influenced by businessmen who were unsuccessful bidders. They tried to cancel the selection, but the European Ministry of Agriculture intervened and went ahead with the funding to the 32 investment projects mentioned above. After all this, 2/3 of the funding was lost, a very important loss, since about half of this funding was for cultural investments. After two or three years, the agency “Development Enterprise of Mani” became inactive and the EU subsidies had all been spent!

In the next fifteen years only a few of the original private investment projects were materialised through the Comprehensive Programmes of Development of Rural Areas (OΠΑΑΧ), which was run by the Greek Ministry of Agriculture. In 2014 more EU funds were allocated to the thirteen regions of our country, and this subsidy resulted in more “Programmes of Comprehensive Area Development”. Unfortunately, the planning, the strategies and the allocation of the funds are no longer controlled by the local and municipal authorities, but by the thirteen areas (περιφέρειες) of our country!

    During the past 25 years there has been a concentration/centralisation trend in the planning and management of the EU development subsidies to areas of special interest, such as Mani.  Unfortunately, we are all guilty for this unfavourable outcome, because when we were given the opportunity to plan and carry out investment projects on our own, we did not take this chance; instead we supported those politicians who were looking after their personal interest. We still have not understood that a comprehensive development of our area, which has so many unspoiled features, can only be successful if it is based on unanimity, on common actions by local groups and on local politicians who have the required knowledge, experience and management skills. This is the only way to use the EU investment subsidies to Mani effectively and make the best use of the special features of our area.

                                                                                                                                                THE EDITORIAL BOARD

PRE-ELECTION PROMISES –  FIREWORKS AND POLITICAL MATURITY

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, Εφημερίδα

We are very close to the municipal elections (May 2019), the European parliamentary elections (also May 2019) and the Greek parliamentary elections (October 2019). Greek citizens will be able to evaluate past politician performances and decide on the best candidates. In law-abiding countries, integrity, political ethics and a merit-based approach in the elections have long been established, and the election process is quick and simple.  For those politicians who are presently in power and want to rerun in the next elections, the evaluation criteria should be based mainly on the work they produced during their term.  For the new candidates, the evaluation criteria should include the candidate’s objectivity, transparency and sound judgement , his/her engagement  in society at the local, national or European level, as well as his/her knowledge and skills in the management of complex projects.

Unfortunately, in our country, the evaluation criteria is often obscured by misleading and disorienting false information, such as the exaggeration of the work produced  and the skillful concealment of everything negative or inappropriate that was done during the term of politicians who wish to be reelected.  Even worse, during the pre-election period, the electorate is being inundated by pre-election promises – or “fireworks” –  false information lacking substance and credibility. This is usually done by the politicians in power. We are also inundated by inflated curricula vitae of the new aspiring candidates, which exaggerate their engagement in society as well as the administrative and leadership skills they have acquired through their professional or academic careers. The electorate should learn not to be so easily influenced, but to see through all this false information and evaluate the real qualifications of these candidates in an objective manner, whether they are already in political positions of power or whether they aspire to be. An informed electorate, which will base their voting decision on critical thinking, can help shape the new political scene and elect politicians who will strive for the common good and positive social results.

   To better illustrate the ideas presented above, we will refer to a 1989 characteristic pre-election promise – “firework” –  which misled and caused a lot of chagrin to thousands of Greek citizens.  In 1982 a new law in support of small businesses was passed, which promised to provide financial support (60% of the total estimated cost) to all new approved projects. This became a very strong incentive for many small businessmen, who rushed to submit all necessary documents and apply for subsidy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. However, these businessmen did not know something very important:  the annual subsibies would be extremely limited. For years, many such proposals for small investment projects were submitted, but all the businessmen ever received was an official document approving the project, but no actual subsidy! This “firework” was exposed after the elections, when 4/5 of the proposed projects did not get any subsidy , while the remaining 1/5 of the projects were financed with a much smaller amount that the one that had been promised! We believe that many of the present new pre-election approvals of big projects that we often hear about are also of the “firework” type: for the most part there are no real subsidies, but even if there is financing, there is not enough time left between now and the elections to even prepare the feasibility studies and tender out the contracts!

Of course, political maturity is not something that is being inherited; it is a complex  process that is acquired through education and life experience. It should be added that political maturity can be learned mainly through the long-standing and smooth-functioning social institutions. When these institutions are characterised by integrity, they create the right political climate that educates the citizens. In our country, the prolonged economic crisis has proven the defective functioning of the fundamental social institutions, a fact that leads us to self-reflection about our own role in the crisis and also to a common conscientious undertaking in order to avoid new lending and making the same errors of the past. Unfortunately, the information overload, a result of the media omnipresence, is not an asset, particularly during pre-election periods. The information overload forces the average citizen to filter through all this data, and to use critical thinking, so that he/she can distinguish between the essence and the “firework” pre-election promises. The election of the right politicians during the municipal and parliamentary (both Greek and European) elections is the single most important factor for overcoming the economic crisis. Emerging from the present financial crisis does not happen through slogans and political statements, but through an honest, effective, collaborative and cohesive management of our public affairs by the politicians and the political parties that we ourselves will elect.

DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT AND SMALL-MINDED MANAGEMENT OF REGIONAL OPERATIONAL PROGRAMMES

2019 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΦΥΛΛΟ ΠΟΥ ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΕΙ, εφημερίδα

Our country has been a member of the European Union for 35 years and of the Eurozone for almost 20. As such, it participates in the planning of common policies and in the shaping of the institutions that will promote these policies. One of these common European Union policies is the formation of an additional decentralised decision-making level of municipal government, on the regional level, which in our country came into effect in 2010. Problems related to the implementation of this policy surfaced even before it became law, as politicians could not agree on the population and the geographical size of the regions that were about  to be established. Instead of following the corresponding European standards (formation of a small number of socially homogeneous areas with common characteristics), the needs of special interest groups prevailed and in Greece we ended up with 13 regional governments (περιφερειακές αυτοδιοικήσεις). Τhe best example of the irrationality of this kind of planning is what happened in our region: the Peloponnese was cut into two areas and so that the geographical size of the smaller area was increased, it was given a part of Continental Greece. As a result, right from the beginning, the demarcation of the Regional Government of the Peloponnese was saddled with problems which negatively influenced the undertaking of any far-reaching development programmes. This unfortunate demarcation could possibly have been counter-balanced by the effective management of our elected regional politicians. However, a careful examination of the development initiatives during the last eight years demonstrates that this definitely was not the case.

   Slowly but steadily, from 2010 onwards, the management of the regional operational programmes (which until then were run by central state authorities) was transferred to the new regional government politicians, a process which was completed within two years. Thus the regional governments (περιφερειακές αυτοδιοικήσεις) took over the agencies/services of civil works, which were previously organized by departmental governments (νομαρχιακές αυτοδιοικήσεις).  It stands to reason that the regional governments should have been able to run these already undertaken programmes more efficiently, since they could have watched the progress of the works more closely. They could also have watched the progress of the civil works and other initiatives implemented by the 2006-2013 Community Support Framework closely and also planned and promoted the initiatives of the new Community Support Framework for the period 2014-2020. Democratic planning is a principle that was established in our country  in 1986, and which unfortunately was again not followed in this case, because small-minded and special interest politics prevailed. Regional government politicians should have collaborated closely with the municipal politicians, so that common development policies and policies for determining the necessary public works could have been drafted. In this way, a common line could have been agreed upon for both the overseeing of already undertaken works and the materialisation of the newly proposed projects. The small number of local government institutions following the implementation of “Callicrates” (policy for merging of municipalities) would have facilitated direct consultations, integrated application of programming, and common plan of action. Unfortunately, we have not seen any such initiatives and actions in the documentation that we examined. What our regional politicians chose to do instead was to draft their own development planning, and decide by themselves which new public works were necessary. In other words, all planning and implementation of public works was exclusively decided by the regional government authorities (περιφερειακές αυτοδιοικήσεις).

    The 2014-2020 Regional Operational Programme has allotted 250.000.000 € to the Peloponnese, out of which 40% had to be spent on public works. This sum is in addition to the significant public investment programme funds that have been transferred from the central government to the regional government so that local public works can be materialised. If these two sources of funding were to be used effectively, this could considerably improve the infrastructure in Peloponnese. Since it is a fact that tourism in Mani is the main source of income for a very large group of the local population, it is obvious that the public sector and the regional government need to promote tourism infrastructure such as roads, ports and squares that make access easier to landscape assets and cultural heritage sites and thus help bring more tourists to our area. These tourists will patron private businesses, such as hotels, restaurants and places of entertainment. Such initiatives are very scarce and are unfairly and disproportionally allotted to certain local areas. Our local politicians prefer to promote tourism through various activities in national and international presentations and campaigns. These campaigns and the travel expenses of those participating in them have absorbed a high percentage of the funds allocated to our area. Tourism promotion is necessary, however, it needs to be done in a cost-efficient manner, and most importantly, it needs to always showcase the latest tourism infrastructure which has been completed. 

   In conclusion:  the regional development should always start with a sound knowledge of the area and democratic planning for a fair distribution of the proposed public works; it should end with the most efficient management of all available funds. Since we are in a pre-election period, we wish that the politicians who will be soon elected will follow the ideas presented in this article, so that we, the citizens of Mani, can finally see the regional operational programmes run efficiently and the funds allotted to our area used in the best possible way.

MANI BEFORE THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

2018 MAIN ARTICLES IN ENGLISH, Εφημερίδα, εφημερίδα

 

As the municipal election gets closer, citizens worry about what will happen afterwards. The financial crisis has resulted in reduced state funding, and consequently the discrepancy between the needs of our area and the fullfilment of these needs is getting larger. It stands to reason that the bigger the reduction of the funds, the more we need competent financial managers. Competent managers, however, are not enough. We also need a common understanding and correct prioritisation of needs, something that is not so easy to achieve after a long election campaign, intense political debates and promises to the electorate. For these reasons, the fewer combinations in the elections, the easier the pre-election consensus will be. According to the newly  endorsed election law, those who run for local representatives will run independently of the combination of the mayor or his/her opponents. The fewer combinations there are, the easier it will be for all local politicians to reach a common understanding  and undertake a common course of action after the elections.

 

   The worry about what will happen after the municipal elections is of course generalised, but even greater in Mani, because of two reasons:

 

  1. a) Mani’s population is small; in theory it reaches 20.000 people in both municipalities of Eastern and Western Mani, but in reality is less than 10.000 people. We should also remember that in this number of 10.000 people is included a high number of foreigners. The population drastically increases during the summer months, when we welcome many visitors.

 

  1. b) the geographical area of the municipalities of Eastern and Western Mani is large and has a large number of sparsely populated municipalities.

 

   These characteristics of our region mean that the management of Mani is not easy. We propose the use of a joint list of candidates in the local elections for both mayor and local representative.

 

 

   The use of a joint list of candidates instead of two separate ballots, [i.e., one for the mayor and another one for the local representative (τοπικός εκπρόσωπος for municipalities with population less than 300 people)],  will help the electorate choose the most competent and most honest political candidates, without the problems associated with two separate ballots. In this way, there will be a common understanding  regarding the prioritisation of public works during the post-election period ; it will also lead to a common understanding about claiming the fair share of funds from both the region (περιφέρεια) and the state. A consensus in the presentation of the needs of our area and in the coordination in the claims of the fair share of funds will finally help achieve a higher funding from these two sources, state and region (περιφέρεια).

 

The big difference in the number of people who live in Mani during the winter and during the summer means that our area needs specific public works that will increase the quality of the holidays of our visitors.  These works will help bring even more visitors to Mani, and as a result more prosperity and more jobs to our area. The funds that have been alotted so far to the municipalities of Eastern and Western Mani are not enough to cover the expenses for this kind of infrastructure. The necessary increase in funds can only happen through unity, careful planning and effective presentation of the needs  to the responsible entities and those who govern them.  If these claims are put forward by local politicians who have a common understanding and a common goal, the results will be favourable.

 

   Maniot egotism, although often altruistic, negatively affects the local politicians’ willingness to serve, and it constitutes the main obstacle in the development of a common understanding. In the history of our region there are examples of this kind of conduct, which could be attributed to the influence of our region’s environment and climate on our genes. However, in our history we also have examples of consensus and unity, which were achieved in dire times, when the freedom and economic self-sufficiency of the Maniots were in danger.  We believe that it is essential for our area to become financially self-sufficient. Immediate goals can be an increase in the number of visitors to Mani and in the employability of our people, which will assure a better future for the next generation. To reach these goals, local politicians need to put aside their egotism and to develop a common understanding. Using a joint list of candidates for both mayor and local representatives would really help reach this common understanding and elect the best candidates as our local politicians.

 

                                                                                                                                                THE EDITORIAL BOARD