With the central theme “Epirus: The roots and the future of authenticity,” the 5th Cantina Academy is being held today in Ioannina, organized by Proto Thema and Cantina.

The conference brings together leading representatives from politics and local government, academia, the agri-food sector, and gastronomy.

The conference was opened with a greeting by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, while the program features prominent representatives of politics, business, academia, gastronomy, and the primary production sector.

Personally connected to Epirus, as he hails from Dodona, Mr. Tasoulas first referred to the end of the isolation that characterized Epirus until just a few years ago. As the President of the Republic pointed out:

“This isolation has been lifted in recent years. Epirus, which years ago was synonymous with isolation, had this burden hanging over the region. Isolation was what tempered people’s character, strengthened emigration, and created constant pressure toward the center for the lifting of that isolation.”

He then used Metsovo as an example, highlighting how it capitalized on local tradition to produce exemplary products (wines, dairy products, etc.). Mr. Tasoulas stressed that:

“In this way, through the pioneering methods applied by Evangelos Averoff-Tositsas in Metsovo, investing in people, a place can go from being brought to its knees to standing upright.”

The main points from the particularly rich and meaningful speech delivered by President of the Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas at the 5th Cantina Academy Conference organized by Proto Thema are as follows:

“The character of the people of Epirus—orderly householders, capable and industrious people, somewhat conservative and careful in managing their finances—shows how profoundly the environment influenced our psyche as well.

“Today, of course, one can travel from Athens in 3.5 hours, and in place of the argument and pressure for ending isolation, other arguments and other priorities have emerged. Such as making use of Epirus for the benefit of its prosperity and advancement.

“Indeed, there are many things to say about the field of agricultural and livestock production, which is also connected with cultural identity, dynamism, and renewal. We are discovering that few countries in the world possess a comparable foundation and identity to that of Greece when it comes to the quality and authenticity of the food system and food-production sector.

“It is an identity built through centuries of historical and economic development, but above all through labor and thought. Through the knowledge contained within tradition.

“National and European policies—with the most important being the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the 2028–2034 period and its main objectives, which can be summarized as fair income support and strengthening of the agricultural sector; climate action; preservation of biodiversity and natural resources; improvement of animal welfare; protection against risks and crises; the addition of digitalization, knowledge, and new technologies; support and development. These are the issues that will occupy the new CAP, which is currently being prepared. They will also be discussed tomorrow in Metsovo, in the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, at the Metsovion Interdisciplinary Research Center, where there will be another highly productive discussion specifically focused on the new CAP.

“In connection with agricultural policy, I would like to mention, by way of example, the conservation, restoration, and promotion of the theater and monuments of the Sacred Site of Dodona, since Dodona is also my place of origin. This is not something unrelated or disconnected from local development, whose core is the agri-food sector.

“I would also like to mention road projects such as the Greater Ring Road of the city of Ioannina, the extension of the Ionian Motorway on the Ioannina–Kakavia section, as well as the renovations of the Health Centers in Konitsa and Metsovo.

“The Greek food system is not an industrial product. It does not come from a factory that can be built almost anywhere. It is a culture that springs from a particular place and a particular people. That is why our perspective and our concern must be holistic rather than fragmented. Food products are, of course, elements of the identity of these products. Together they form a unified, living gastronomic ecosystem.

“It is well known that for centuries transhumant livestock farming and the biodiversity of the mountain pastures made Epirus one of the most important cheesemaking regions of southeastern Europe.

“However, our wealth here in Epirus is not limited to dairy products. The mountain vineyards of Metsovo, established at high altitudes and through long-term planning, are another example. Epirus needs to safeguard its productive diversity because its comparative advantage lies precisely in that word: authenticity.

“We do not need to look far away or copy the example of some other Greek or foreign region. The vision and model implemented by Evangelos Averoff and the Tositsas Foundation began with a simple yet pioneering idea: instead of young people abandoning the mountains, high-value activities should be created there—in Metsovo itself—activities connected to the place rather than foreign to it. He sent young people to Italy to study cheesemaking, and they returned, combining the techniques they learned abroad with the livestock-farming tradition of the Pindus Mountains.

“Thus Metsovone was born, the first Greek smoked cheese with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.

“Today, that place is alive. This example, this model, which was established in the early 1950s and reached its peak in the following decades, shows us that a place that believes in itself, a place that does not lay down its arms, that does not stoop to complaining or dwelling on the misery that has afflicted it, but instead thinks dynamically about how to respond to its problems and challenges—such a place, under inspired leadership, can rise from its knees and stand upright, remaining on its feet.”

Pierrakakis at 5th Cantina Academy: Loan Reform Under Katseli Law Is a Matter of Political Responsibility – Retroactive Application a Government Initiative

Referring to the new legislative provision concerning loans under the Katseli Law, Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis said at the 5th Cantina Academy that:

“With the new regulation, which is being tabled today and voted on in Parliament tomorrow, we are taking the Supreme Court decision and applying it universally. This means that interest is calculated on the monthly instalment of each borrower’s loan, rather than on the total amount of the loan.”

He added:

“And this measure has retroactive effect, something that is not imposed on us by the court ruling. We are doing it on our own initiative. Because we, as a government, unlike the opposition which believes it has found a field for political exploitation, regard it as a matter of political responsibility. This is what distinguishes us as New Democracy – and this is what will continue to distinguish us.”

Providing an example of the benefits of the reform, Mr Pierrakakis said:

“Let us assume that a borrower owes €144,500. Under the previous system, they would pay €731 over 300 months. With the new calculation method, they are required to pay only €483 over 255 months. The difference, as everyone understands, is very significant. It will provide relief to hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens.”

Mr Pierrakakis also clarified that:

“The regulation concerns more than 100,000 of our fellow citizens.”

He explained that the potential cost amounts to €500 million in relation to the universal application of the measure, “because we took a judicial decision that applies to those who appeal and we are saying that it applies to everyone,” and €200 million in relation to its retroactive application.

Referring to the reforms to the out-of-court debt settlement mechanism and further measures “through which we will provide additional relief to the private debt sector in our country,” the Minister of Finance stressed that:

“We are establishing the largest framework of support for society in relation to private debt since the crisis.”

He added:

“As long as even one person needs relief, their problem is our problem.”

Asked to comment on the measure, the Chief Executive Officer of Piraeus Bank, Christos Megalou, said at the same conference:

“It is a regulation that provides a solution to a real problem, because we saw the court ruling but were awaiting its interpretation.”

Referring to comments made by the President of the Republic on Evangelos Averoff during the opening of the conference proceedings, Mr Pierrakakis said:

“Money does not exist; it is created. Money is generated, growth is generated. Greece has a model that will run at double the growth rate. Debt is no longer a problem, investment is increasing and exports have more than doubled.”

Mr Pierrakakis also stressed that:

“Political stability is the oxygen in the room. We have experienced what it is like when that oxygen is not there, when existential issues are at stake. The question is who has the plan. We want every solution that affects everyday life in a way that benefits the future. That is what will happen.”

Regarding the crisis arising from the war in the Middle East, he noted that what is critical is the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and how long it will remain open.

“The demographic issue is an existential problem”

In relation to Greece’s demographic challenge and unemployment, the Minister of Finance noted that:

“Greece is very close to a historic low in unemployment. Soon we may have the lowest unemployment we have ever had, historically. The fact that this will be achieved very soon is extremely important compared to where we started in 2019.”

He added:

“The second observation is that the demographic issue is the existential problem, not of Greece, but of Europe. Unfortunately, countries that progress economically generally experience a decline in births; these two indicators are inversely correlated. That is why, when someone enters this discussion, they ask ‘how many children did we have in the 1950s?’ But in the 1950s we were much poorer in Greece. So this is also related to issues of culture, choices, etc. What is certain is that we must remove a series of obstacles that reflect an overall philosophy of what can be done in the Greek regions.”

On the Greek economy more broadly, he said:

“What the Greek economy needs is productivity. In Greece we are very low in productivity indicators. The second issue is that growth continues to rely on tourism and the Recovery Fund – generally on money coming from abroad. This can change in the short term. Otherwise, we will need a long effort all over again.”

He continued:

“A large part is related to the skills of the workforce. When I was at the Ministry of Education, I had begun an effort to create so-called academies. This was continued by Sofia Zacharaki, it was legislated, and the vision is to turn the local business into a ‘university’ – to create a new and modern structure, not like the old-style IEKs.”

“Epirus has all the raw material it needs to go even further”

Mr Pierrakakis also referred to the development prospects of Epirus and projects underway in the region.

Responding to a question on Epirus’ low GDP per capita compared with the EU regional average, he stressed that the government has already launched significant interventions in the area.

As he stated, a total of 330 projects have been prioritised in Epirus, with a combined budget of approximately €1.8 billion. He also highlighted infrastructure works currently underway, particularly interventions towards Kakavia and investments in the port of Igoumenitsa.

Mr Pierrakakis further referred to the potential of the primary sector in the region, noting that its “important agricultural products can achieve an even stronger presence in international and domestic markets”, while also emphasising the importance of the region’s human capital.

Referring to his tenure at the Ministry of Education, he highlighted the potential of the University of Ioannina, noting that it has around 30,000 students, a number corresponding to a significant share of the region’s total population.

As he put it:

“The region has all the raw material required to perform even better.”

He added that improvements are already being recorded in key indicators such as GDP per capita and retail trade.

According to the Minister of Finance, there is scope for even faster growth through the utilisation of available development funding and regional initiatives. These interventions, he said, can “truly unlock this potential” and further strengthen Epirus’ development trajectory.

Epirus: A modern destination for growth

Epirus is a region that possesses all the characteristics of a modern development destination: a strong primary sector, a rich gastronomic tradition, a unique natural environment, and growing tourism potential.

The aim of the conference is therefore to hold a substantive discussion on how production, gastronomy, tourism, and entrepreneurship can work together to create a sustainable development model for the next decade.

Conference themes

The 5th Cantina Academy consists of six thematic panels featuring representatives from politics and local government, members of the academic and business communities, and representatives of the primary sector and gastronomy.

Panel details

• Investments and outward-looking growth: the future of the region. Participants: Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance; Christos Megalou, CEO of Piraeus Bank; and Michalis Sarantis, President of the National Interprofessional Organization of Feta and Management Advisor to DODONI Dairy Industry. Moderated by Babis Koutras, Director of the newspaper Proto Thema.
• PDO and PGI cheeses of Epirus: recognition and international outreach. Participants: Alexandra Mega, Director of the Ioannina Dairy School; Dr. Konstantina Nikolaou, member of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Ioannina and of the Laboratory of Animal Health, Food Hygiene and Quality; and Giorgos Kyriakopoulos, importer of premium cheeses and owner of the cheese shop Provence. Moderated by Nana Dareioti, Editorial Director of Cantina.
• Epirus’s challenge: creating a holistic travel experience. Participants: Thomas Begkas, Mayor of Ioannina; Pavlos Geroulanos, MP for Athens A and parliamentary representative of PASOK; and Maria Kefala, New Democracy MP for Ioannina. Moderated by Fotis Tsimelas, Chief Product Officer of Proto Thema.
• Agricultural production: the engine of progress. Participants: Margaritis Schinas, Minister of Rural Development and Food; Alexandros Ioannou, CEO of Katogi Averoff Winery–Distillery–Hotel; Vangelis Geitonas, producer and exporter of eels and trout; and Giorgos Dekolis, President of the Union of Transhumant Livestock Farmers of Epirus. Moderated by Proto Thema journalist Giorgos Evgenidis.
• Green energy as a pillar of development. Participants: Vangelis Zacharis, B2B Director at Protergia, and Alkiviadis Alexandrou, General Manager of Agricultural Banking at Piraeus Bank. Moderated by Ilena Kritikou, Editorial Director of cantinamag.gr.
• Epirote gastronomy: from product to experience. Participants: Eleni Sintou, President of the Union of Wine Producers of the Northern Greece Vineyard (ENOAVE), chemist and oenologist at Zoinos Winery; and Thanasis Tassos, owner of the restaurant Thamon. Moderated by cantinamag.gr journalist Gianna Balafouti.

In addition, special interest is expected for the speech by Italian cheesemaker Carlo Piccoli, founder and professor of the Accademia Internazionale dell’Arte Casearia in Treviso, Italy.