Speaking to OPEN, the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, answered questions regarding the daily life of Athenians, the measures for the heatwave, as well as the small and large projects that are underway in the city, such as the new stadium of Panathinaikos in Votanikos.
Bakoyannis referred to the seven air-conditioned spaces of the Municipality of Athens that remain open for those who need a cool refuge in the city. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of the 1595 number, to which any Athenian citizen who needs help at home can call.
“It is the telephone number of the Municipality of Athens. An older person may feel a need, a difficulty or a discomfort. Let them call 1595, the ‘Help at Home; service. Someone will come, knock on their door to help them. Let’s not forget that the heatwave is also a matter of public health, and there are many of our fellow human beings, especially in Athens, who are alone, who are lonely. This is not what we want”, emphasised Bakoyannis.
Referring, at the same time, to the risk of fire these days, he underlined that on the part of the Municipality of Athens, all the necessary measures have been taken.
“Employees of the municipality are these days on the hills and green spaces. Also, the municipal police are there, our firemen are already on alert, the municipal police drone is flying over the city.”
Answering a question about the timetable of the project at the University, Bakoyannis emphasised that the work will begin intensively in the next few days and will be completed next Easter.
Sometimes I hear the following: “But why so many projects together? At this moment, think about what is happening in Athens: A project in Syntagma, a project at the University, another in the National Garden, Lycabettus, asphalt pavements on half the road network, sidewalks, squares in the neighbourhoods. There are too many things going on in the city at the same time.”
“It is the largest infrastructure program in history, bigger than the one that preceded the Olympic Games. My answer to this is that Athens had lost too much precious time and now we are running to catch up, setting a goal: Within one term despite the crises, despite the pandemic, despite what we are living, to achieve it.”
The Mayor of Athens announced that the outdoor theater of Lycabettus, which has been closed since 2008, will be able to welcome the Athenian public again next summer.
“I say this with a very big smile because it is a theatre, which we have missed. An entire generation, our children, have not known it. We are doing everything necessary and the work is progressing so that we can enjoy it and have it be rediscovered by the new generations”.
In 2026, Panathinaikos’ first match will be held in its new stadium, emphasised Kostas Bakoyannis, referring to the issue of the double reconstruction.
“We are talking about the best stadium in Greece. I’m not just saying this because I’m Panathinaikos, I’m saying it because I’ve seen the plans,” he said, announcing that the bulldozers will begin preliminary work in the Fall.
“Our timetable, as we have made public, is for the stadium to be completed in 2026. At the moment I don’t see anything that will delay us. Apparently, it is not affected by anything. The money is secured, the studies are mature, the project will be auctioned immediately and we are moving forward.
“When the new stadium in Votanikos is completed, then we will demolish the stadium in Leoforos. This way we will acquire 11 acres of park, a new ‘lung’ which – objectively – this densely built-up area of Athens is in great need of.”
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