Let’ s talk about the latest news, the electrical interconnection with the mainland National Electricity Transmission System. It is a historic project that was a longstanding demand of the Mykonians. Henceforth, we will have better quality, more economical and, of course, more eco-friendly electricity, as local diesel power plants in the Cyclades will stop operating. Personally, I am particularly glad that the present Municipal Authority has fought with time and bureaucracy in order for the project to be delivered on time. What do you answer to those who are concerned about Μykonos’ rapid growth? The key is to decide what we really want in this country! The problem is not growth but the fact that the growth rates of the island are much higher than those of the State. That’ s exactly why both key issues facing Mykonos- infrastructure and understaffing of public services- are the ultimate responsibility of the Government. At some point, however, Mykonos and State will have to meet... This year, you have welcomed the 1st Mykonos Art- Festival, while the MykonosRun 2018 is expected.
Can these events attract a different audience than we have known so far? Our main goal since the first day we took over the fortunes of the island has been to extend the tourist season. As part of our integrated strategy, we have put particular emphasis on culture and sport, investing systematically in both infrastructures( e. g. 1st Indoor Gym of Mykonos, Works in Mykonos and Delos Museums etc.) and the implementation of major events( Aegean Games, Mykonos Run, Mykonos Art Festival etc). Events that attract thousands of entries and project a new image of our island other than the one that is world-famous for, mainly summer holidays and wild entertainment. Has the new Qatar-Mykonos connection brought the desired results? Not only has it brought the desired results, but it has done better than the Qatarians predicted! Doha Airport is a transit tourist center! In other words, we connected Mykonos directly with the huge tourist market of East and Australia! We can safely assume that the two big bets you’ ve won are the financial support( as bonus) of civil servants working on the island and the installation of the first automatic access mechanisms for the disabled? As you know both the annual financial support of € 350,000 and the automatic access mechanisms for people with disabilities at beaches, are 100 % our own initiative, also financed 100 % by us, that is with money from the Mykonians. And in this case we are covering a huge gap left by the State in order to ensure the proper functioning of our island, especially during the summer months, when the population of the island grows over ten times bigger! Your vision? Our vision of Mykonos by 2030 is based on the extension of the tourist season, the cultural upgrading of the island, the implementation of infrastructure projects, the everyday life and the social cohesion of our local society. A common component of the above is the consolidation of the international brand Mykonos as one of the world’ s leading brands and a prerequisite for its realization, a thorough tidying up of the finances of the Municipality of Mykonos, which we have achieved after 3 years of hard work and good administration.
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