Editorial RoomCurrent Affairs
Regional governor Alexandros Kahrimanis is asking for realism and consensus on the issue of the construction of the pedestrian-bicycle path around Lake Pamvotida, recognizing ownership, as the new law also does.
Asked about this, Mr. Kahrimanis referred to the “history” of interventions in the lake, stressing that realism is required based on actual data.
“When you don’t see things realistically, you will find obstacles”, he noted, making it known that he will proceed with a program contract with a research group of the National Technical University of Athens and with the Architecture Department of the University of Ioannina for what will happen to the lake in the future, without however clarifying whether the Municipality of Ioannito will also participate in it. “It will be a study, actually a useful tool, and in many places we will also go into the lake, with wooden structures, as is done all over the world. These “complexes”, which to this day some spread and say, have no relation to reality”, he noted, while at another point of his statements he stated that “the truth is that property also exists and we will find an agreement to give us a width , and we will make our interventions”.
Regarding the funding, he confirmed that the 12 million from the “Ant. Tritsis”, which were obviously used in more advanced projects, but he argued that, as long as there is a mature study, with all the necessary permits, the funds can be found from European programs and not only.
Obligation to ensure the unstructured of 100 meters
An interesting parameter, which obviously also concerns the data in the lakeside area after the new legislation, emerges from the response of the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginios Sinkevitsius to the Green MEP Petros Kokkalis.
Mr. Kokkalis addressed a question to the European Commission, whether the regulation, which abolishes the minimum unstructured limit of 30 meters from the coastline, allowing its full “commercial” exploitation, is in line with Article 8 of the Protocol for the Integrated Management of Coastal Areas zones of the Mediterranean (2009/89/EC), which has been ratified by the EU and binds all Member States, and according to which the coastal zone cannot be less than 100 meters wide.
Mr Sinkevičius replied that the protocol of the Barcelona Convention on the Integrated Management of the Mediterranean Coastal Zones provides a legal framework for the integrated management of the zones. The protocol requires national legal frameworks to ensure the protection and sustainable use of the coastal zone, which must not be less than 100 meters. By ratifying the aforementioned protocol, countries undertake to transpose its legally binding provisions into their national law and to ensure compliance and enforcement of said provisions. Despite strong encouragement from the Commission, Greece has not yet ratified this protocol.
