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[box] “I call everyone to sign the European Citizens Initiative for water as a public good and not a commodity.” declares P. Skotiniotes, Mayor of Volos, Greece, in a press release issued on 22 March 2013, with the occasion of the World Water Day. On his decision the local municipal Water and Sanitation Company (DEYAMV) will take part in the (probably) largest demonstration movement in the history of the EU; namely the one against the EU Committee practices that help the privatization of water and sanitation services throughout Europe. We in Savegreekwater, who have taken part in an informative event against water privatization, organized earlier this year by Volos and Pelion citizens, can only wish that we played a humble role in this decision. We sincerely hope that actions such as this of the Mayor Skotiniotes will only be the first in a row of similar actions by his colleagues, several of which, like Pallini, Galatsi and Marathon have already expressed their position against privatization by adopting relevant resolutions. Savegreekwater sincerely hopes that Mayor Skotiniotes will continue supporting the actions against Water and sanitation Services privatization in Greece by promoting this campaign to other Mayors all over Greece adn by also adopting a resolution agaisnt water privatization. [/box]
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MUNICIPALITY OF VOLOS
PRESS RELEASE
Volos 21 march 2013
DEYAMV will take part in the European Citizens’ Initiative
Against the privatization of Water and Sanitation Services
P. Skotiniotes: Let us all sign declaring that water is not a trading commodity but a public good
Panos Skotiniotes, Mayor, Municipality of Volos, and Chairman of the BoD of DEYAMV (Volos Municipal Water and sanitation Company), on the occasion of the World Water Day, issued a declaration that DEYAMV will join the European Citizens Initiative and goes as follows:
Following a UN decision, March 22nd has been declared the World Water Day. We all understand that correct management of this public resource, which also constitutes a source of life itself, must be our common goal, especially during this period of economic turmoil and climate change.
As far as DEYAMV is concerned, we have already pointed out that, water is a public good and as such cannot but be under public management. For us in the Municipality of Volos, DEYAMV continuing to operate as a municipal company aiming to the public welfare is a nonnegotiable fact.
However, to counter any and all attempts for transferring water and sanitation services to private institutions which, if successful, will constitute a danger not only to our well being but to our lives too, we must join forces with all other persons, groups and institutions having the same target.
DEYAMV will join the European Citizen’s Initiative, thus taking part in the largest up to now demonstrational movement against the EU Committee practices that favor the privatization of water and sanitation services in Europe. The ECI is on a race to force those responsible for decision taking in the higher levels of the EU nomenclature to declare that the Public Right to Water and Sanitation cannot be denied and that Water be declared a public good that has to be safeguarded against market practices.
According to EU procedures, ECI has to collect at least 1.000.000 signatures with a minimum quota from at least seven EU nations. Up to now more than 850.000 Germans and at least another 300.000 from other EU nations have signed in; the quota has already been reached in Germany, Austria and Belgium, but Greece and Cyprus still lag far behind. As soon as the required number is reached the EU Committee will have to reevaluate its stance.
Let us point out that there already exists an international tendency for returning water and sanitation services, formerly run by private institutions, to the public, because privatization always led to higher prices and a lowering of services quality. Therefore our position is and will always be that institutions managing water resources as well as water and sanitation companies shall remain public in order to safeguard both, the human right to water and sanitation as well as water resources and the environment against speculation.
We feel confident that the citizens of Volos will join in and stand beside us. We ask all of them to visit http://www.right2water.eu/el and sign the petition. Thus a strong front will be created that will be willing and ready to act against the transferring of water and sanitation services to private companies, that in no way can guarantee the safeguarding either of public health or of the environment. The DEYAMV Board will examine and propose more actions to this same target.
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[box] We were informed by the press office of Volos municipality that DEYAMV has already proceeded to the edition of a form inviting citizens to express their support for the European Citizens Initiative. This form has started being sent to consumers together with their water bills, and there is a special link to the portal of Volos dimosvolos.gr referring to the collection of signatures[/box]
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