Strengthening the island character through projects that improve residents’ daily lives and address the real needs of local communities was the focus of the visit by Vasilis Kikilias, Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, to Lipsi.
Emphasis was placed on the overall work of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, with references to the upgrading of port infrastructure, the promotion of desalination plants to address water supply issues, the acceleration of the planning and implementation of port projects, as well as the further strengthening of the Hellenic Coast Guard with modern operational resources.
A key priority, as emphasized, is providing substantial support to small and remote islands through projects that enhance their safety, connectivity, and development potential, guided by the actual needs of local communities.
In his remarks, Vasilis Kikilias stated that “the Greek government recognizes that solutions to whatever problems our islands face—which represent a strategic and comparative advantage for our country—must come from the people who already know them and have tackled these challenges in the best possible way.”
The minister was welcomed by the new Secretary General for Aegean and Island Policy and former mayor of Lipsi, Fotis Maggos, in a visit that held special symbolic significance for insularity and the representation of small islands at the heart of government policy.
As Vasilis Kikilias noted, “When I suggested to the Prime Minister that we appoint Fotis Mangos as Secretary General for Aegean and Island Policy, he immediately ‘embraced’ it as a very good idea that was put into practice right away. So, of course, it is a symbolic appointment, but also a very substantive one, as it will help us, together—by understanding the human geography of each island and the problems facing each one—to address these issues at their root and strive to provide solutions, always honestly and by clearly stating what we can and cannot do.”
Referring to the need to improve residents’ daily lives and to the strategic importance of insularity for national cohesion, Vasilis Kikilias emphasized that “a person is honored for what they do, not for what they say. And when they are sincere and honest toward their fellow human beings, their fellow citizens, and the islanders, even more so.
This is an inviolable rule of mine—first in life and in human relationships, and then in politics. Being half an islander myself, I understand very well what it means to live on an island in the summer and in the winter. Here, on these islands of ours, in the remote regions of the country, it is even more crucial.”
Regarding the work of the Hellenic Coast Guard, he emphasized that “our coast guard officers are here by our side day and night, providing whatever our islanders have needed. The Coast Guard is always on the front lines, and the efforts they make are, for me, not only a patriotic duty but also the highest honor we bestow upon them as they serve on every island, in our ports, and on our seas. I thank them very much.”
During his stay on the island, the minister received a detailed briefing from local authorities and government officials on issues concerning the local community, the island’s needs, and its infrastructure.
At the same time, proposals and priorities for the coming period were identified, which are part of the broader plan for the balanced development of the islands, the improvement of daily life, and support for the island economy.
The meeting was attended by the new mayor of Lipsi, Evangelia Laountou; the mayor of Patmos, Nikitas Tsampalakis; the mayor of Leros, Timotheos Kottakis; the deputy commander of the Patmos Artillery Unit, Major Ioannis Nikolakopoulos; and the port commander of the Lipsi Coast Guard Station, Ensign Spyridon Drelis.