1st Conference for Self-government of the South Aegean Region

1st Conference for Self-government of the South Aegean Region

16th to 18th July 2004
Kalymnos

The European Organisation for Strategic Planning (E.O.S.P.) in the frames of the 1st Conference for Self-government of the South Aegean Region which was in Spring 2005 at Ermoupolis of Syros and in continuation of the Conference in Kimolos of the Cyclades Region, held a Conference in Kalymnos to highlight critical issues and priorities of the Dodekanisa Region.
The selection of Kalymnos was made because this island belongs to the 2nd group, based on the development criteria, characterised as an area with organised development of productive activities. The objective of this Conference was to record the problems of the islands of the Dodekanisa Region and the strengthening of the role of Self-government Organisations.

Strategic objectives of the Conference

- The prominence of the possibilities of Self-government in the issues of the relief of the islands' isolation, especially during the winter months and the provision and treatment of the phenomenon of complete depopulation.
- The modulation of a framework for active participation of Self-government in the issues of sea transportation, environment, entrepreneurship and balanced economic growth.
- The formation of a complete suggestion to the Government related to tax motivations that must be accorded to the islands for the strengthening of the entrepreneurship on them.
- The creation of common actions between the Self-government Organisations of the South Aegean Region for the exchange of expertise and the best promotion of those critical issues.

The subject modules of the conference were:

- Balanced economic growth
- Complete depopulation and Local Self-government Organisations
- Tourism
- Entrepreneurship
- Tax motivations for Development
- Relief of the islands' isolation of the South Aegean region
- Halieutics

Program

1st day
Kalymnos, Friday 16th July 2004
18:00 - 19:30: Visit of the representation of EOSP and the participants to the Kalymnos City Hall. Debriefing by the responsible of the Municipality and the
mass actors

2nd day
Kalymnos, Saturday 17th July 2004
09:00 - 09:30: Participant's Arrival - Registration
09:30 - 10:15: Opening of conference proceedings

Presiding Board: Mr. Georgios Koromilas, Economist M.Sc - Ph.D., General Secretary of Finances and Taxes of E.O.S.P., Responsible of the Scientific
Committees of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors (P.O.F.E.E.).
Mr. Antonios Koliopoulos, Economist. Vice-President of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors, Expert Secretary of
E.O.S.P., Member of the Representatives' Council of the Economic Chamber of Greece.
Mr. Georgios Katsotourchis, President of the Federation of Agricultural - Halieutical Associations of the frontier islands of the South
Aegean Region.
Mr. Georgios Roussos, Mayor of Kalymnos
Mr. Timotheos Kopakis, Mayor of Leros

Welcoming the Participants: Mr. Spyridon Tsirigotis, Mayor of Megalopolis, President of the European Organisation for Strategic Planning
Mr. Ioannis Macheridis, Prefect of Dodekanisa
Mr. Georgios Roussos, Mayor of Kalymnos

Officials' Greetings: Mr. Charalambos Kokkinos, General Secretary of South Aegean Region
Ms. Chrysoula Sifouniou, Eparch of Kalymnos
Dr. Nikolaos Giannis, President and Managing Director of the Piraeus Port Authority

A' Session
Balanced economic growth
10:15 - 10:45: Development and strengthening of islands and areas with low economic growth. The role of the Local Self-government Organisations.
Mr. Ioannis Macheridis, Prefect of Dodekanisa
Mr. Timotheos Kopakis, Mayor of Leros

10:45 - 11:10: Port Infrastructure - Marinas
Dr. Nikolaos Giannis, President and Managing Director of the Piraeus Port Authority
Mr. Nikolaos Kansyliotis, Ensign of the Hellenic Coastal Guard, Representative of the Port Self-government of Leros

11:10 - 11:25: Health - Welfare
Mr. Georgios Labrakos, Physician, member of E.O.S.P.

B' Session
Complete depopulation and Local Self-government Organisations
11:25 - 12:30: The phenomenon of depopulation. Measures for prevention and treatment of the phenomenon. Water resources - Problem of subsaline
water. Estimations of the degradation of productive land. Local action plans.
Dr. Filippos Charmanidis, Hydro-geologist, Alternate Director of Hydro-geology, Greek Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME)
Dr. Sideris Theocharopoulos, Director of International Relations, Validation and Informatics of the central department of the National
Agricultural Research Foundation (N.AG.RE.F.)
Mr. Spyros Benetos, Mayor of Lipsi

12:30 - 13:00: Break

C' Session
Tourism
13:00 - 13:15: Reorientation of the touristic development
Mr. Miltiadis Fakkos, Mayor of Kos

13:15 - 13:45: Alternative forms of tourism
Mr. Dimitrios Lagos, Professor of the University of the Aegean
Mr. Panagiotis Katsimatidis, Mayor of Nisyros

13:45 - 14:00: Touristic Infrastructure
Representative of the Hotel Chamber of Dodekanisa

14:00 - 18:30: Break

D' Session
Entrepreneurship
18:30 - 19:10: Municipal / Communal enterprises
Representative of the Local Union of Municipalities and Communities (TEDK) of Dodekanisa
Mr. Georgios Roussos, Mayor of Kalymnos
Mr. Evaggelos Christofilakis, Economist, Vice-mayor of Ano Liosia
Mr. Efstathios Papachristopoulos, Executive of the Regional Fund of West Greece, Member of the Board of E.O.S.P.

19:10 - 19:30: Main Coordinating Role of the Local Self-government' Organisations in the entrepreneurship's development
Mr. Nikos Trikalitis, Economist, Regional Planning, National Technical University of Athens, Vice-president of the Scientific Committee of
E.O.S.P., City Councillor of the Municipality of Thebes.
Mr. Constantinos Xylouras, Economist, Representative  of the Dodekanisa Region

19:30 - 19:40: Training of the personnel of the Local Self-government Organisations and the Municipal / Community enterprises
Mr. Ares Gournas, Economist, Educational Consultant

E' Session
Tax motivations for development
19:40 - 20:10: Strengthening of entrepreneurship through tax motivations on the small islands of the South Aegean Region
Mr. Vasilis Tsabanakis, Economist, President of the Regional Department of Dodekanisa of the Economic Chamber of Greece
Mr. Manolis Mousellis, Accountant, President of the Association of Accountants of the Eparchy of Kalymnos
Mr. Paleologos Liazos, Economist - Tax Advisor

20:10 - 20:25: Existing motivation
Mr. Antonios Koliopoulos, Economist. Vice-President of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors, Expert Secretary of
E.O.S.P., Member of the Representatives' Council of the Economic Chamber of Greece

20:25 -20:40: Suggestions of substantive tax motivations in view of tax reformation
Mr. Georgios Koromilas, Economist M.Sc - Ph.D., General Secretary of Finances and Taxes of E.O.S.P., Responsible of the Scientific
Committees of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors

3rd day

Kalymnos, Sunday 18th July 2004

Presiding Board: Mr. Georgios Koromilas, Economist M.Sc - Ph.D., General Secretary of Finances and Taxes of E.O.S.P., Responsible of the Scientific
Committees of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors
Mr. Antonios Koliopoulos, Economist. Vice-President of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors, Expert Secretary of
E.O.S.P., Member of the Representatives' Council of the Economic Chamber of Greece
Ms. Themelina Filitsi, Accountant, General Secretary of the Association of Accountants of the Eparchy of Kalymnos
Mr. Panormitis Kondaratos, Mayor of Astypalea
Mr. Evaggelos Christofilakis, Economist, Vice-mayor of Ano Liosia

F' Session
Relief of the islands' isolation of the South Aegean region
09:30 - 10:00: Sea Transportation and environment
Mr. Pavlos Panigyris, Mayor of Megisti
Ms. Eleni Panagi, Mayor of Halkis, Representative of the company DANE

10:00 - 10:20: Reinforcement of the existent system of transportations and communications
Mr. Diamantis Bonovas, Lieutenant Commander of the Hellenic Coastal Guard, Port Master of Kalymnos, Representative of the Hellenic
Ministry of Transport and Communications

10:20 - 10:30: Modulation of a new system with the active participation of the Local Self-government Organisations
Mr. Efstathios Papachristopoulos, Executive of the Regional Fund of West Greece, Member of the Board of E.O.S.P.

12:30 - 13:00: Break

G' Session
Halieutics
11:00 - 12:30: Existing situation. Perspectives in the South Aegean. Education.
Mr. Georgios Katsotourchis, President of the Federation of Agricultural - Halieutical Associations of the frontier islands of the South
Aegean Region. Representative of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food
Mr. Theologos Papageorgiou, Ichthyologist, M.Sc. in Quality Management

Discussion
12:30 - 13:30: The development of insular regions, a necessary prerequisite for the European perspective of the country.

Conclusions - Closure of Proceedings
13:30 - 14:00: Conclusions of Conference
Mr. Nikos Trikalitis, Economist, Regional Planning, National Technical University of Athens, Vice-president of the Scientific Committee of
E.O.S.P., City Councillor of the Municipality of Thebes.
Mr. Georgios Koromilas, Economist M.Sc - Ph.D., General Secretary of Finances and Taxes of E.O.S.P., Responsible of the Scientific
Committees of the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Freelance Tax Advisors