"The main challenge for our generation is how to turn Greece into a country that can grow quickly, thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Facility," pointed out Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis today from Tripoli, where he participated in an event of the Cities Network "Sustainable City" titled "The heart of Europe beats in the Peloponnese". The event took place on the occasion of the inauguration of "EUROPE DIRECT Peloponnisos", organised in the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
In his speech, the Alternate Minister underlined that the money from the Recovery and Resilience Facility will be channeled in two directions towards funding the Digital and Green Transition, so that Europe becomes a place of technological development but also turns into a green continent. Mr. Varvitsiotis reminded that Greece expects to tap into amounts of 90 billion, through leveraging of funds, and stressed the importance of using them in an effective and ground-breaking way.
“We are going through a period when the local authorities have access to the largest possible funding they have ever had, either through internal resources, such as the "Antonis Tritsis" program, or through programs currently being drawn up under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. We should be timely and fully prepared to submit proposals that may go beyond the known framework", Mr. Varvitsiotis stated characteristically.
He made special reference to the region of Peloponnese and especially Megalopolis that will be affected by the closure of lignite production units, emphasizing that it is important to use our natural resources for the benefit of our energy efficiency, but it is certain that those affected by the transition will be supported in the best possible way.
Concluding, the Alternate Minister stated that Greece and Europe are bound together inseparably and that there is only one answer by all Greeks on which Europe they want. "We want more Europe in our daily lives, in the welfare state, in civil protection, in the way we work, in our border security, in our administrative and judicial structures, in our health, in our education," he noted.
The event, which was under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Region of Peloponnese and the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), was also attended by Mr. Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission for Promoting our European Way of Life, Mr. Kostas Tsoutsoplidis, Head of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Athens, Mr. George Kremlis, Honorary Director of the European Commission and Ms. Vicky Inglezou, Director of the Maniatakeion Foundation and Head of "EUROPE DIRECT Peloponnisos".
The event was addressed by Mr. Panagiotis Nikas, Governor of the Region of Peloponnese, Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, Mayor of Trikala and President of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) and Mr. Dimitris Kamposos, Mayor of Argos-Mycenae and President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Peloponnese.
November 4, 2021