Katelios port news

[manu]

A sad episode happened in Katelios 10 days ago.

On March 30th, I went down to the beach with Markus and Fiona to take some pictures of the area of the port and the progress of the works.

As soon as we got there, the only 2 fishermen present there, Jerry who has the Restaurant on the beachfront 'Jerry the fisherman' and Makis who has some rooms for rent behind the Garden, started shouting at us from the boat. They shouted to go away, to leave, to fuck off, to go back to our countries, to not be involved with the port, half in English and half in Greek. We kept going, so they moored the boat and rushed to us, to shout in my face (I had the camera) the same things and more. They were also pulling the top of my jacket, clearly trying to provoke a reaction. After they realized they wouldn't, they cooled down and left, and so did we. They tried to intimidate us just because we were taking pictures!

I thought it wasn't worth reporting the facts to the police. But then I heard rumours that they were saying around that I should be careful, that I shouldn't get involved with the port or I would get hurt. That's how some people do around here, if they want to threaten you they spread the rumour around to someone close to you to make sure you hear it. So I changed my mind, and with Fiona I went to the police to report the event and ask them to give the fishermen just an official warning, nothing serious.

The climate at the police station of Poros wasn't much better though.
The chief of the police station who took my report wasn't very helpful. He questioned me as I was giving my statement. He asked me with a very inquisitive tone about why I was there taking pictures, where our group takes its money from! I couldn't believe this one, I was there giving my statement about being verbally attacked by a group of people because I was taking pictures of the beach and he asked me where the Katelios Group takes their money from!
He was also raising his voice with me. My Greek is far from perfect, I speak slowly and I can hesitate on some words, but I was doing my best to give the whole report in Greek. He was not exactly patient, and basically shouting in my face. I asked him if I could be present when he'd go and talk to the fishermen, and he said no. When I asked him why not, he said because not.

I want to make clear that I respect the work of fishermen in Katelios, and personally and in the name of the Katelios Group, as I said previously, I would be happy to see the improvement of the current mooring situation with a small port only for fishermen. Unfortunately, that's not what the authorities have planned.

Still, I want to be free to take pictures of a public place without being verbally attacked and intimidated by anyone.

[Fiona]

Among the many interesting things, some of the authorities again raised the issue of the rocks that should be used to build the port, again saying that they should be allowed to use the rocks from the sea, the hills, the rivers, wherever they like, even though it is explicitly forbidden

The cavalier attitude of the few people in kefalonia who actually hold enough power to act and make a change is appalling. As you say, the Katelios group doesn't make the laws, but it's clear that the municipal government (who should be enforcing them) doesn't care at all about abiding by european laws.

Someone said to me "the only way to make anyone understand anything is through their pockets"

I would say:

"Only when the last tree has died
and the last river been poisoned
and the last fish been caught
will we realise we cannot eat money."
(Cree proverb)

The people who live on this island and in this world, both greeks and non-greeks, need to realise the consequences of their actions. The world doesn't revolve around you, nor your pocket, and if you want a future for your children and grandchildren you have to do what is morally and environmentally right, because if you don't, there isn't a point in planning a future.

[Fiona]

Here's a letter from the European Comission I received regarding the construction of a port in Katelios.

It seems a bit strange that the EC claim that the port area is not included in Natura 2000 when I have seen official documents clearly stating that it is... I hope it is accidental misinformation being given out by Mr Kremlis.

port letter EC.gif (40.58 KiB) Viewed 1665 times

[manu]

It seems a bit strange that the EC claim that the port area is not included in Natura 2000 when I have seen official documents clearly stating that it is...

It is very interesting, because the planned port is in a Natura2000 area, and Mr. Kremlis from the EC is contradicting the very same document (the Interministerial decision) that he's referring to.

You can find a copy of the Interministerial decision 101537/17.2.2006 ('Approval of environmental rules'), that refers to the EIA from 1999 on page 3 point 24, at this link:
http://www.kateliosgroup.org/docs/egkrish.pdf

You don't actually need to know a lot of Greek to read for yourself, on page 9, a reference to Natura2000, but here's my translation (emphasis on inside mine):

The position of the proposed work [the port] is [found] inside the Site of Community Interest (SCI) "PARAKTIA THALASSIA ZONI APO ARGOSTOLI EOS VLACHATA (KEFALONIA) & ORMOS MOUNTA" (Coastal zone from Argostoli to Vlachata and Mounda bay) number GR2220004 of the National List for the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 (Directive 92/443/EEC).

So either the 3 Greek ministries that took the 'Interministerial decision' got it completely wrong and you wonder how they could get the rest right, or at the European Commission, which set up this pan-european network to protect species and habitats and actually did this good piece of legislation that is the Habitats Directive (92/443/EEC), don't know what's in it and what's not, and don't know what they're talking about.

In either case it's worrying. We are a little worried that all the other people that wrote to the European Commission concerned about the future of Katelios and the turtles there, got this reply and got misinformed.
So we'll ask for clarification from Mr. Kremlis and the DG Environment of the European Commission, and post their reply here, when we get it.

[manu]

While we're on the subject, it's interesting also to notice that the EC reply refers to the Habitats Directive.

Because Greece has failed to apply this Directive in the past in Zakynthos, neighbouring island to Kefalonia, according to the European Court of Justice. The case was over the protection of the sea turtles breeding there,

You can find the case at this link (Case C-103/00):
http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/f ... resmax=100

If you click on the second link from the top (Judgment) you can read more details.

Basically the European Commission accused Greece of not protecting the sea turtles in Zakynthos, they won the case, and Greece was heavily fined.
It was a big case and it's now a very important precedent case on environmental law in Europe.

Is the EC now suggesting that they will respond only if we submit a formal complaint that Greece is failing to apply the Habitats Directive?
It may need a lot of political lobbying and backing even just to get the case to be considered. In any case, we thank them for the advice.

[manu]

The sea turtles are parading
the fish are all a-singing
the octopusses dancing
and the segrass meadows swinging

It's a great display of joy
in the bay of Katelios
no more sea life they'll destroy


The works in the big port of Katelios have stopped.
Hopefully we have avoided the catastrophic end of the place.

[manu]

They were taking material illegally. The police stopped the works for this reason.
So they changed the environmental rules with a simple paper. Taking materials from wherever you like wasn't illegal anymore.
They can keep destroying the bay in Katelios, and while they are at it also other places around.

Swimming in Katelios is now a joy.
Today is a very clear day. The sea is a crisp dark blue, except in front of Katelios...
Thanks to Filippo for taking this enlightening picture.

At least I hope that the people who want the port are proud of what they are doing.
I hope they will own up to this. They could point their index one day and say:
- You see kid, you have to thank me for all this...

Below you can see what Katelios looks like now.

[manu]

Recently we have been at the council of the Prefecture of Kefalonia and Ithaca.

We had asked before to introduce the topic of Katelios port in the council. Mostly we want to understand what the port is going to be. The official denomination is 'piscatorial resort', a fishing port. That's how they took the huge public and European funds. But many authorities involved have declared that it's not going to be only for fishermen, it's going to have mixed use. Any boat could come in and use it. This is extremely important for the future of Katelios bay. Our request was refused.

Later it was explained that the request was refused because the prefect was absent.
This time the prefect was there. A few of us, members of the Katelios Group for the research and protection of marine and terrestrial life, were there. After a long wait, our request was refused. It wasn't really clear to me why. They generously allowed Mr. Anousakis, our spokesperson, to speak for 2 minutes. Unfortunately he was interrupted many times. The director of the Group wasn't allowed to speak. The prefect added his own comment. He said that this work is desired by all the people of the area and by all the people of the Prefecture(?), so nobody will ever stop it. Ever! He said it with a passion that puzzled me. Most of the other topics in the council were rather sleepy, discussed with detachment. The port in Katelios seems to involve personal feelings even for people who shouldn't be personally affected by it. Or maybe they are?

Anyway he used the old argument 'The people want it!'. Mob rule. So laws, rules, life, nature all don't matter. 'The people' want it, it must be done at any cost! What people? Certainly the fascists who silence whoever disagrees with them with intimidation and violence.
The Prefecture council decided to insert the topic in the next council. We will see what happens.

You can read a recount of the council in Greek here: http://www.kefaloniaphotonews.gr/index.asp. The author, a journalist, wonders why we weren't allowed to speak and why we were treated so badly in general. Good question.
What are they afraid of?

[manu]

Works on the port in Katelios have been proceeding.
It doesn't matter that they were taking materials illegally – zac! With a magic swish of their sword they changed the rules on the fly. Law is at the service of the powerful people.

Below is a recent picture of the work. In November not many people are around, so I could take this picture without being attacked.

[manu]

A recent picture of the port in Katelios.

Nothing has been moving for the last 3 weeks. Machines are all still there, are they taking a break?

A simple test: how many boats can you count moored in Katelios at the beginning of May?
I'll help you only because the picture is low resolution: 5 boats.