Thessaloniki: The Metro, the flyover and the plan for € 13 billion's worth of projects.

"After 4.5 years of political controversy, we have given a solution. We chose both Metro and the antiquities. We joined the forces of the city. Today, for the first time the government, the Region, the Municipality, productive bodies and, of course, the vast majority of citizens, we are all together. The CAC (Central Archaeological Council) vindicated us.

Soon we will have the decision of the CoC and I firmly believe that this will vindicate us as well. To deliver the whole project in 2023" said Mr. Karamanlis characteristically, regarding the Thessaloniki Metro.

Referring to the new upgraded Thessaloniki ring road, the so-called "flyover", he characterized it as the most emblematic of the new generation projects, launched by the government nationwide. The planning for the implementation of the flyover with PPP (Public-Private Partnership), he added, "is progressing in record time".

Project plan of €13 billion

Mr. Karamanlis reminded that, when it comes to infrastructure, the government is implementing "a plan of projects totaling more than 13 billion euros, the largest the country has seen since the Olympic Games and the period 2004-2009, when the new highways began». He reiterated the assessment that 2021 may be the year of infrastructure for Greece, as "the work that has been done in the field of projects for a year and a half, is starting to bear fruit".

He added that all the projects planned and unblocked by his ministry have one thing in common: they have a specific funding plan and a realistic implementation schedule. "We do not promise things that we do not know if and how to implement. And we are certain that the plan we have drawn up, can be implemented," he stressed.

Regarding the revision of the new law on public procurement (Law 4412), he explained that his two goals are absolute transparency and the implementation of projects on time. "We want better projects to be done on time, with transparency and absolute respect for taxpayers' money. And I want this to be absolutely clear to anyone who is interested in investing in Greece," he stressed.

Among other things, he pointed out that the new law reforms the system of guarantees, which provided the possibility of submitting extremely low bids. "It drastically tackles pathogens such as unusually low bids, supervision, supplementary contracts, judicial review," he said, adding that new institutions are being introduced at the same time, such as strengthening the design-construction system, implementing the provisions for strategic investments in large projects, accelerating procedures such as the award notice, the private supervision, the declaration system, the arbitration. Along with the changes in Law 4412, a new tool is being introduced: the innovation proposals, that seek to leverage the private sector.