[box] PERI.POL.O. MANI PRESS RELEASE[/box]
A public briefing on the threatened privatization of Peloponnesian water resources, for which the Peloponnese Region is responsible, was held in Gytheion at the initiative of PERI.POL.O.Manis. The keynote presentations and additional statements were issued by the Regional Councillor for the Peloponnese Thanasis Petrakos, the geostrategic analyst, journalist Nefeli Tzanetakou, the president of the Laconian Agronomists Stavros Arahovitis, and the president of the Organic Farmers of Laconia, agronomist D. Dimitriadis. They pointed out the negative consequences of water privatization. A statement was also issued by scientific expert Pan. Sabatakakis, who referred to the Peloponnese’s aquatic resources and their capabilities, as well as the need for better and more rational utilization. An additional statement was made by the Chairman of the Regional Council of the Peloponnese, Mr. Poulokefalos, who supported the view that there is no risk of water privatization through the Region’s partnership with EYDAP [Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company].
The presentations and statements were followed by dialog with attendees of the event who asked specific questions about the visible risk of the privatization of water resources and generally expressed their outright opposition to the Region’s decision to assign the study for the utilization of water resources to EYDAP, which is by government decision being privatized and sold to infamous multinationals which commercially exploit the aquatic wealth of countries and profiteer at the expense of society. It emerged from the key input and ensuing dialog that privatization leads to the economic and social catastrophe of the countries where it has been imposed and for this reason the general conclusion of the event was that this should be prevented from happening to the Peloponnesian Region. The meeting adopted the following resolution and began collecting signatures from citizens of Laconia who support the move to prevent the privatization, which has assumed a nationwide character as other parts of the country face similar problems and risks:
RESOLUTION
We the citizens of Laconia who gathered at the initiative of the Cultural-Environmental Group of Mani [PERI.POL.O.Manis]And pursuant to the information and indications for the concession of water resources in the Peloponnese Region to private companies, with obvious negative consequences for the economy, society and agriculture,
-Express our profound concern towards, and protest against, the initiatives of the Regional Chief, Mr. Tatoulis.-Believe the agreement between the Region and EYDAP to be the first step in the allocation of water resources to multinationals through the promoted sale of EYDAP to foreigners in implementation of the Memorandum, and
-Denounce the intentions of competent authorities who are proceeding to sell off the national wealth, ostentatiously ignoring the public interest and the rights of citizens.
-Declare that the possible obsession of competent authorities to concede water resources will find us dynamically opposed and we will exert all our legal rights in order to protect the public interest that is being threatened with the privatization of water.
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