The Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Stefanos Gikas, attended and spoke at the annual development conference “Olympia Forum,” which was held at the International Olympic Academy, in Ancient Olympia.
The event is a top institution for presenting regional development policies, highlighting the role of regional and island actions in strengthening the country’s economic, social, and territorial cohesion.
In his presentation, the Deputy Minister emphasized the contribution of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy in promoting insularity and the “blue economy” as a central development axis.
Mr. Gikas pointed out that: “The ‘blue economy’ develops in everything related to the sea, from shipping and transport, to tourism, marine renewable energy sources, and research. It is a field of enormous potential for our islands and for the country as a whole”.
He then underlined that the focus of the Ministry’s actions are: “The creation of new jobs in blue professions, the strengthening of entrepreneurship, the protection of marine ecosystems, and the transition to a sustainable, efficient, and innovative economic model for the islands”.
Referring to the European framework, the Deputy Minister noted: “The European multiannual financial framework 2028–2034 and the upcoming EU strategy for the islands, offer a unique opportunity to strengthen insularity and establish Greece as a protagonist in the new era of the ‘blue economy’”.
After his presentation, Mr. Gikas participated in a dialogue panel with the Mayor of Oinousses, Georgos Daniil, coordinated by the journalist from “Kathimerini,” Stavros Papantoniou. The discussion focused on the needs of the islands and the possibilities of utilizing European funding tools, through targeted policies for the development of island societies.
Special reference was made to the recent “Oinousses Declaration,” which the Deputy Minister described as a “national and European roadmap for the strategic development of small islands”.
Within the context of the discussion on island development, Mr. Gikas referred to the “GrecoIslands” program, saying that it constitutes “A substantial development program for small islands, with available funding of 157 million euros, for significant projects related to addressing water scarcity, energy independence, waste management, electrification, etc. A Program which has finally entered an implementation phase”.
Referring to blue professions, he reminded that the development of maritime tourism, with the construction of modern marinas and the further development of cruising, is a central policy choice of the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis and that in recent years, a laborious effort is being made by the government for the development of maritime tourism with tangible results.
The Deputy Minister concluded by underlining that strengthening insularity and further highlighting it at a European level is a stable government priority, within the framework of a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable development of the country’s islands and marine areas.
