By Kostas Karamanlis*
With every passing day since taking office, the people can see that the government has launched a systematic effort to return our country back to normality. Practically, this translates to a higher quality of life in their daily routine and sustainable growth. Here, at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, we are called upon to contribute to just that: combine short term and long term action. Daily routine and growth. Planning the way we want our country to be in the long run and people’s daily lives. We are especially prepared to serve the vital objective of growth mainly through four crucial strategic choices. Firstly, major projects are not considered – neither before the elections nor currently of course – as tools of expropriating votes nor as lip service or populist ploys, but rather as instruments for growth. These projects create thousands of jobs – and one of the main commitments of our government is creating new jobs – and in the long term, they help develop and upgrade entire regions of our country.
*Kostas Karamanlis is minister of Infrastructure and Transport
It is no secret that the previous government has handed down to us an exceptionally troubled situation as far as several critical projects are concerned. Some of these projects are stagnating at a certain stage of their implementation and some other are at an earlier stage of the process. Providing the optimal solution to each of these complex situations requires intensive examination, a comprehensive approach and, ultimately, appropriate, realistic interventions. We are here to ensure the public interest and that these critical projects will be implemented according to high quality standards, as soon as possible, and at the smallest possible expense for the taxpayers.
Secondly, it is also time to prepare the strategic planning of new generation projects needed by our country, which shall bring new life into the market and change the country’s image in the years to come. Projects which shall be fully documented as regards the cost-benefit ratio, appropriateness, and viability. Unfortunately, the previous government has done nothing to this end. Nevertheless, a new, balanced Infrastructure scheme is one of the key factors to help us overcome the crisis once and for all.
Thirdly, we also place particular focus on crucial institutional interventions. Our philosophy is not about uprooting everything. Therefore, we do not wish to abolish Laws 4412 και 4413, but rather to improve them by small yet significant amendments, such as offering the possibility of monitoring to private companies as well. Additionally, we are concerned with substantial innovations, the good ideas that have been successfully put to the test abroad, the new, contemporary financing instruments, such as the possibility of tenders with “innovative proposals”. This is the way works concessions began in Greece. New Democracy Party institutionalised works concessions in 2006 in major road projects and in practice have been proven much more effective, at a smaller cost and much faster than “typical” public works.
We are simultaneously preparing the implementation of a Works Registry, so that the state may know, for example, the projects for which each organization per municipality, region, or public company is competent for, and who is responsible for their maintenance. This Registry can serve as a foundation for the planning of future projects, as well as a necessary tool for a comprehensives and consistent program for the maintenance and upgrading of Infrastructures created during the previous decades.
Fourthly, we make use of the immense possibilities offered by the sector of Transport in the interest of growth. Of course investing in logistics and combined transports play a primary role. It is one of our strategic targets to transform Piraeus, the ports of the North of Greece and mostly that of Thessaloniki, into gateways. The rail network may serve as an extension of the sea corridor connecting Asian markets with Piraeus, in a land corridor for the transport of goods into Central Europe. Reinforcing the ports of the North of Greece will serve as an upgrade of Northern Greece in the area of logistics. Everyone has now realised that the strategy of the New Democracy administration regarding Cosco in 2008 has been shown to be thoroughly successful in the coming years, yet little use has been made of it. No more time must be lost. In the same vein, we wish to proceed to more actions with a view to achieving growth, such as the revision of the legislative framework concerning water airports.
On the basis of these four strategic choices we, at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, build our action plan to support the country’s growth. At the same time, we work towards making interventions in order to improve the daily lives of citizens in all areas under our responsibility, from the issuance of driving licenses to public transport in Athens and Thessaloniki, which have suffered and been downgraded extensively in these recent years.
One more thing… In view of all that has been mentioned, we proceed by committing to serve certain values: Meritocracy; transparency; quality; fair rules for all; open-mindedness and placing an emphasis on innovation; eyes fixed on the future and insightful; long term planning; Respect to the citizens and particularly to our fellow citizens most in need; Absolute respect for public funds. And most of all, the good of this country.
