“Thessaloniki is finally getting the airport the city deserves,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during his speech at the opening ceremony of 14 modernized regional airports operated by Fraport Greece.
“The direction of the state control tower is one: to travel higher and higher throughout the country, but not to fly in the clouds,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis joked at the opening ceremony held at Macedonia Airport with a limited number of guests due to the covid-19 pandemic.
“Such investments, in addition to development, also have a social dimension: they create jobs, stimulate the local economy, shorten distances, destroy the isolation of our islands. They serve the daily life of citizens, facilitating communication,” the prime minister stressed.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to “the great prospects for Thessaloniki to finally get the airport it deserves” and added that “this is just one of the most dynamic aspects of the modernization program for 14 regional airports.
“An investment of € 440 million that completely transforms data across our 11 islands and three mainland destinations, adding new revenue to the government coffers and creating over 10,000 new jobs, offering a better service for visitors as well as a better work environment for everyone. employees “.
“In addition, this is an increase in intangible profit, which is nothing more than a tourist reputation of our country. I would say that this investment is an example of a productive partnership between the state and the individual. ”
Referring to the overall benefits for Greece, the Prime Minister said:
“The impact of the agreement with Fraport on the country’s GDP in just one year exceeded 300 million euros. It has doubled employment by thousands of places and will significantly increase the flow of visitors to very important Greek tourist destinations. It’s time for everyone in our country to find their role.
“Investors must provide capital, the state – the infrastructure that will be operated so that the former can take on business risk and benefit from it. At the same time, it should be distributed fairly, with a total profit for all citizens. “
Kyriakos Mitsotakis also mentioned tourism in special conditions due to the pandemic, expressing his optimism:
“As we work our way out of the health crisis, Macedonia Airport and 13 other regional airports are becoming our national bridges for a freer and more efficient summer.
All of them are now, like the rest of our airports, certified by the International Airports Organization for security measures against coronavirus. And of course, the European digital health passport, pioneered by Greece, is now becoming a reality. And an additional guarantee is the national control system already established in our country. And since the vaccination operation “Eleftheria” is progressing at a very fast pace, I believe that very soon our country will be able to build the first wall of immunity.
So we can be optimistic, always observing basic measures to protect our health, in order to create conditions for the good flow of our tourism from this summer. But for a more open daily life for all of us, so that our country, which has won, having entered this test, despite heavy losses, could emerge victorious from it, ”the Prime Minister said.
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