Projects in Macedonia and northern Greece are moving at a great pace, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said from Thessaloniki, where he is touring as of Tuesday.
"Thessaloniki is changing, Macedonia is changing, northern Greece is changing - and not just by mock ups, but by projects. All the key projects which I had promised during my elections campaign and at the first tour of Thessaloniki, at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) of 2019, are getting implemented at high speeds," the premier said during a meeting with New Democracy MPs and local officials.
Some of the projects the premier toured that were part of his campaign platform are the following:
- The road link between the 6th Pier of the Port of Thessaloniki and the national highway network (from Patras to Thessaloniki) with Egnatia Odos (linking Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace), a project suspended in 2000. The roadway will decongest Macedonia and complement the planned linking by rail of the pier with the existing customs and commercial stations.
- The bridge over Aliakmon River (222AR), which is being enforced and maintained to extend its life. According to the related ministers and project heads, works are expected to be completed by the end of 2022. A general bridge maintenance plan is also being drawn up with the help of the Technical Chamber of Greece.
- The construction of the Holocaust Museum, where construction was "stalled because it was impossible to construct, as it lacked the necessary surface area," as Mitsotakis said, can now proceed.
- The Thessaloniki metro is going ahead, with 17 of the 18 stations completed, while the 18th is facing outstanding issues (related to the antiquities found there) that will be resolved. In addition, Mitsotakis said that residents of the city will have noted the improvement in the city's public transportation overall.
- The refurbishment of TIF's facilities, which will provide an upgraded expo center and park in Thessaloniki and improve its competitive qualities further.
PM Mitsotakis also noted that the northern metropolis is attracting talent from abroad, including returning Greeks, "because now they see Greece's prospects and because they are offered key professional opportunities for the first time." In addition, hospitals in the city acquired new intensive care units, and Thessaloniki will further acquire a new children's hospital as well as a cancer hospital. The city projects also include a new campus for the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a new Medical School in Thermi, in the metropolitan area, he said.