A common decision was signed on Wednesday by the Minister of National Defense Dimitris Avramopoulos and the Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Michalis Chrisochoidis for the operation of the airport of Tripoli as a common use airport between the Air Force and the Civil Aviation and a simultaneous temporary concession of property utilization to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Mr. Avramopoulos said:

I believe that as of next year, the airport of Tripoli will serve also its new purposes and it will contribute to growth, it will help productive classes, it will help the Agricultural Sector, the Tourist Growth and will give a new impetus and perspective to this area of our land which over the last years is a priority of our governmental and national policy.

This part of Peloponnese, as well as the entire Peloponnese, indeed is a diamond. It was said and it’s important that it was said by Michalis who is not from Peloponnese because if I say so you’ll say that I am praising my homeland.

More growth is required. There has been a great effort mostly by the private sector. We must admit that, because state authorities try to achieve it, yet they had not always the means and possibilities.

We must respect enterprises, investors and all those who cultivate the land and give them the possibility to increase their productivity.

Mr. Chrisochoidis said:

A network of very important infrastructures is created, which will help Peloponnese promote a significant tourist growth over the following years, as well as a productive activity of new, high quality products to be exported. The new airport may help this activity too. A new significant infrastructure is added. It is a full plan which is applied under the cooperation of the Region, the Municipalities and the central Ministries and this is the value of this moment. This is a progress for our country: that egoism and bureaucracy have been put aside and public agency work together to find out solutions and create the necessary infrastructure for the country.

Mr. Chrisochoidis also wished Mr. Avramopoulos well in his role as the next Commissioner of Internal Affairs, responsible for issues of security in Europe, for fighting crime and terrorism and of course he will have to deal with one of the most important issues that concern our planet, immigration.

The current agreement was signed at the presence of the regional governor of Peloponnese Petros Tatoulis, the Secretary General of Decentralised Peloponnese, Western Greece and Ionian Islands Giorgos Didaskalou, the Governor of the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority Dimitris Koukis, the Chief of HNDGS General Michail Kostarakos and representatives of local authorities and bodies of Peloponnese.

Photos from the signing of the agreement: