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The value of the 1,000 port projects which are currently being developed in Greece reaches 1 billion euro, said Minister of Merchant Marine Miltiadis Varvitsiotis during a discussion about the islands at the Evgenidou Foundation.

Varvitsiotis talked about the new law on leisure vessels, noting: "Our goal is to fill our seas with Greek flags and attract more vessels from Europe and other countries, as well as to create jobs and stimulate the economy of our islands."

As for shipping, he analyzed all actions taken by the Ministry with a focus on the reduction of operating costs by using LNG in cabotage operations of ships, restructuring he ferry network and evaluating the usefulness of all subsidized lines serviced via procurement and affecting a small portion of the population.

In turn, Deputy Minister of Transport Michalis Papadopoulos spoke specifically about water airports and stated that "The messages we receive are encouraging and the first three permits for water airports in Corfu, Volos and Lavrio will soon be issued." He also noted that interest is growing: Corfu, Paxi and the Diapontii islands, Heraklion, Zakynthos, Patras, Lefkada, Milos, Skyros, Crete, Vegoritida, Skiathos, Katerini, Thessaloniki and Halkidiki are just some of the most interested regions.

He noted that the Ministry will make efforts for the development of Internet access in rural areas. Furthermore, the development of a national network with wi-fi access points is also advancing, so that citizens and tourists can have access to the Internet.

European Commissioner Maria Damanaki said that the geographical distribution and distance of most islands created conditions for dependency and isolation of various levels and pointed out one of the key aspects of the problem of economic dependency, which concerns the interconnection of islands. Damanaki focused on initiatives taken by the European Commission in the field of maritime tourism and "the state aid scheme in respect of investments in the energy sector and the environment of the islands and the European framework for support."

However, she criticized the use of the funds for islands, since, according to her, the smallest and most remote islands of the southern Aegean Sea absorb only 50% of the funds. At the same time, Damanaki stressed that the strategic allocation of the fund has changed and there is a thematic concentration of activities which will affect innovation, information technology and the low-carbon economy.

President of the Evgenidou Foundation, Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis, noted that the appropriate policy on islands both at European and national level will play a major role in the attempts to get the country out of the economic crisis. Evgenidis announced that the Foundation will launch a study on issues related to the islands, focusing on the primary sector. He explained that the purpose of the study will be "to contribute to the joint efforts with the Ministry of Education in the formation of educational initiatives, especially in terms of secondary education". He announced the decision of the Foundation to help fixing the damage caused by the earthquake in Kefalonia.

Works of art

Chairman of the Hellenic Traditional Boats Association Nikos Kavalieros noted that if the government could understand the enormous contribution to tourism, the economy and the islands of the country by the traditional Greek shipbuilding art, it would resort to the rescue and maintenance of traditional vessels. He added that the traditional Greek wooden boats are unique Greek works of art.