Historic “No” from Mayor to TERNA’s Destructive Plans

With an extensive, documented and categorical letter to the Protected Areas Management Unit of Southern Peloponnese (O.FY.PE.K.A), Environment Minister Mr. Papastavrou and General Secretary of Environment and Water Mr. Varelidis, Kythira Mayor Efstratios Charchalakis raises a defensive wall against the attempt to install three industrial wind farms by TERNA ENERGEIAKI on the island.

In his letter, Mr. Charchalakis deconstructs point by point the machinations that attempt to bypass environmental legislation and the common sense of justice, demanding the immediate rejection of the environmental licensing of the projects. The Mayor of Kythira brings to the forefront a multitude of evidence—studies, State Council decisions, findings from international organizations, data on migratory birds of prey in the island’s protected areas—and reveals that these are threatened with complete destruction.
As he emphasizes, “the planned installation of the RES [Renewable Energy Sources] is located in one of the most geographically and environmentally sensitive areas of the country” and underlines that the approval of the Special Environmental Study that prohibits wind farm installation activity should be completed by mid-2025 (that is, now), as the responsible General Secretary Petros Varelidis has also assured in his interview with Kathimerini.

The Mayor clearly states that if licensing is permitted, irreversible damage will be caused to the island and declares that “the Municipality of Kythira, as owner of the land, will not grant installation permits,” while “it will exhaust every legal and institutional means, in Greece and Europe.”

The letter constitutes another decisive step in defending the natural, cultural and social capital of the place, in absolute alignment with the expressed will of Kythera citizens. This is a historic “no” that declares: Kythera is not prey to anyone’s business plans.

Source: Kythera News