The former regional governor of Thessaly Kostas Agorastos in an open letter to his responds to the “propaganda” of Dimitris Kouretta.

As Mr. Agorastos notes, the “findings demolish the propaganda” because “the studies existed, the works were done and the claims are recorded in the official documents”.

The reason for Kostas Agorastos’ letter was the statement by Dimitris Kouretas, regarding the management of the consequences after the onslaught of the extreme phenomenon Daniel, that “Thessaly had no anti-flood study, in any river system, anywhere“.

Agorastos’ response to Kouretas

The statement of Mr. Kouretta’s statement that “Thessaly had no flood control study, in any river system, anywhere” is not just an inaccurate political statement.

It is a direct insult to the truth, to the services of the Region, to the scientists who worked for decades and to the people who designed, financed and implemented projects throughout Thessaly.

The reality is documented in the records of the Region, in official documents to the ministries, in the implemented projects and now in the findings of the National Transparency Authority for both millennium disasters, which the Koureta administration chooses to defiantly ignore.

The studies exist! These studies were and still are the basis on which interventions, clean-ups, maintenance and flood protection projects were planned and implemented throughout Thessaly.

We did not stop at studies – we turned them into projects

The Regional Authority 2011-2023 proceeded to the construction and implementation of important flood protection projects.

– Urgent flood protection works in the Krajsidonas Volos area.

– Emergency flood protection works in Xiria Volos.

– Flood control interventions in Damasi Tirnavos.

– Settlement of the Paleomonastiros stream.

– Flood protection of the Rodia settlement.

– Settlement and protection of the Sofaditis riverbed.

– Flood protection project in Kerasia and Kanalia of Magnesia.

– Flood protection works in Skiathos.

– Dozens more interventions in rivers, torrents, dykes and watercourses in all the Regional Units of Thessaly. At the same time, the Civil Protection services were reinforced with equipment, machinery and fire engines to deal with natural disasters.

Significant water management projects were implemented and completed.

– Kalamaki reservoir.

– Paleomonastero reservoir.

– Spring recharge at Vrysia Farsala

– Dam at Mavromati

– Lithaio dam.

Projects with a significant contribution to water storage, environmental protection and strengthening the resilience of Thessaly. A typical road project that functioned as a flood protection project is the Regional Road Sandraki in Larissa, which during the Daniel acted as a critical line of defence, making a decisive contribution to the protection of the city.

We won the major projects that Thessaly is still waiting for

The Region of Thessaly was not content with its own responsibilities. With the letter No. 335958/27-11-2020 to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the inclusion and funding of major flood protection projects from the NSRF 2021-2027 was requested.

At the same time, in the context of the consultation for the National Strategic Transport Plan and the Infrastructure Operational Programme, the inclusion of critical flood protection projects in Thessaly was requested.

Among them:

– Enipeas-Skopia Dam.

– Mouzaki Dam.

– Pyli Dam.

– Neochoritis Dam.

– Ayoneri Dam.

– Water storage and management projects throughout Thessaly.

-These are projects of national importance, which unfortunately have not yet been implemented. What did the inspectors of the National Transparency Authority “find”?

The absolute vindication of our services

While Mr Kouretas claims that he “found nothing”, the reports of the inspectors-auditors are clear and unambiguous: “No omissions of legal due actions or violations of the applicable legislation” on the part of the services of the Region were found The audited entities “took all the actions / actions foreseen” under the institutional framework. Furthermore, it confirms that the then Regional Governor of Thessaly had requested, both before and after ‘Janos’, the financing of the major flood protection projects foreseen in the Water Management Plans of Thessaly.

Dams and “mountain hydrology” are the responsibility of ministries. Even today, Mr Kouretas admits that shielding depends on the large dams (Enipeas, Mouzaki, Pyli). These projects did not exist then either, but unfortunately neither do they exist today.

The Region has done its utmost, constantly pushing for the funding of these national-level projects. At the same time, the experts who examined the “Janus” and “Daniel” phenomena concluded that these were extreme and extremely rare phenomena, which far exceeded the normal design standards for hydraulic projects.

Even the experts warn

The public intervention of hydrology expert Aristotle Tegos, who strongly criticized the celebrations of the current regional authority for the flood protection of Thessaly, is particularly sensational. Mr. Tegos reminded that technical hydrology is a rigorous science, which requires knowledge, seriousness and respect for data.

He notes that the public statements of the current administration often ignore basic principles of science and warns that arrogance and premature celebrations are not a plan to protect citizens. Science, findings and real data must come before communication.

The truth is one

Thessaly did not start from scratch in 2024. There were studies. There was planning. There were claims. There were funding claims. There were projects that were completed and projects that matured. The real question is not whether there were studies. There were.

The real question is why there is an attempt today to erase a long-standing effort and present citizens with the false impression that it all started yesterday. Flood protection in Thessaly is the result of many years of work, many people and many services. And this reality cannot be erased by statements. Because propaganda creates impressions such as: THE BYRON WAS NOT CALLED A MILLENNIUM MIRACLE BY ANY SCIENTIST. Comparing events of completely different scales (Byron was only 38.6% of Daniel’s potential and hit just 18,500 acres vs. 248,000 for Janus) is an arbitrary attempt to create impressions.

It’s easy to cavil that you’re not being given money centrally (800 million euros managed by the region) via FB, but it is provocative to find ready-made projects, clean-ups and studies and declare that “there was nothing”.

Thessaly demands seriousness and respect for the truth of numbers and science.

Thessaly demands seriousness and respect for the truth of numbers and science.

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