Read the latest NEWS about the port in Katelios on our Forum
New port in Katelios: death of a quiet village
The likely impact on Katelios will be devastating
The future of Katelios is at stake
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
A big case in Katelios is the new port. There are plans to build a huge port in Katelios, which would be of a size similar to the main port of the island in Sami: one of the piers is planned to be over 170m long! This big plan can certainly not be justified with the needs of the few remaining fishermen. We fear that, without explicit rules forbidding the access to big boats, in the future the port might be used also by big boats, commercial and tourist ferries, as it happens now in Poros.
No matter what it will be for, a port of that size and the increased boat traffic would drastically change the nature of the place and devastate the area. Katelios would lose its character of quiet village, and certainly many of its current tourists. The impact of a port that size would be dramatic on the natural environment of the bay (see picture above), on the protected seagrass meadows of Posidonia oceanica and on the population of Loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta nesting in the area.
Is this what the future of Katelios looks like? 'Clear' waters and concrete?
This is not the end of the story. How can they get away with this, we all wonder? What about environmental rules? Shouldn't they have an Environmental Impact Assessment before they start works of this proportion? The Environmental Impact Assessment they are using is not valid! And we're not talking about the fact that it bears no respect to the endangered sea turtles. It's plainly invalid because it's expired! To stop all this before it's too late, once again the Katelios Group has had to take the case to court. Hopefully, thanks to the special protection acknowledged and granted by being included in the NATURA 2000 network, we will not witness the complete annihilation of the cultural and natural heritage of Katelios village and bay. The future of Katelios as we know it is at stake, and we hope everyone can realize this.
YOU CAN HELP STOP THIS!
We have prepared a letter, that you can edit as you like, to send to all the concerned authorities. They must care about the main source of their income, tourists! Let's make our opinion heard clear.
LETTER in .pdf format
LETTER in
.doc format
You can send the letter directly to the addresses below. It would also help a lot if you could send a copy to us with your name and full address, that we can use in court as evidence of support against the port plan.
Katelios Group for the research and protection of marine and terrestrial life
28086 Katelios
Kefalonia
GreeceMayor of Katelios area
The Mayor
Elios Pronnoi Municipality
28086 Pastra
Kefalonia
Greece
email and phone numbersMinistry of Environment
ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΠΕ.ΧΩ.Δ..Ε
ΓΕΝΙΚΗ ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ
ΕΥΠΕ (ΕΙΔΙΚΗ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΙΑ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ)
ΤΜΗΜΑ Α
Λ. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑΣ 11
Τ.Κ 11473
Athens
Greece
Phone: 0030-2106412521
Fax: 0030-2106430637Region of Ionian islands
ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑ ΙΟΝΙΩΝ ΝΗΣΩΝ
ΓΕΝΙΚΟ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΑ ΙΟΝΙΩΝ ΝΗΣΩΝ
ΑΛΥΚΕΣ ΠΟΤΑΜΟΥ
Τ.Κ 49100
ΚΕΡΚΥΡΑ
Greece
Phone: 0030-2661045245Prefecture of Kefalonia
ΝΟΜΑΡΧΗ ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑΣ
ΚΥΡΙΟ ΓΕΩΡΓΑΤΟ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΗ
ΑΡΓΟΣΤΟΛΙ
28100 ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑ
GreeceEuropean Commission
COMMISSIONER OF THE ENVIRONMENT
MR.DIMAS STAVROS
B-1049
BRUXELLES
OFFICE BU-9/201
Belgium
Phone: 0032-22952170, 0032-22991111Ministry of Environment, department for the management of the natural environment
Υ.ΠΕ.ΧΩ.Δ.Ε
ΤΜΗΜΑ ΔΙΑΧΕΙΡΙΣΗΣ ΦΥΣΙΚΟΥ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ
Δ/ΝΣΗ: ΤΡΙΚΑΛΩΝ 36
Τ.Κ11526
ΑΘΗΝΑ
Greece
We would like to hear every time you send a letter or contact them. You can email us or give us a call