“Victorious Piraeus” (“Piraeus Nikitis”) is the name of Yannis Moralis’ combination who aspires to become the next mayor in the largest port of the country.

Speaking during an event in Kaminia on Tuesday noon – where he presented the ballot- Yannis Moralis stated that his combination expresses “the new sweeping away the old” and outlined his vision to turn Piraeus into an international shipping center.

The Piraeus Mayoral candidate stated that he wants an “extrovert Piraeus, with a dynamic economy, with authority and confidence” and not a Piraeus “that will celebrate obvious interventions”, something which he used to accuse the outgoing mayor.

“This is one of our key differences with Mr. Michaloliakos”, stated Mr. Moralis, whose ballot will include big names of business and shipping, first amongst which is Olympiacos President Vangelis Marinakis, who will be offering his services as councilor.

Present during the presentation, besides Mr. Marinakis, were Mr. Socrates Kokkalis and his son Petros, the latter of which will also be included in Mr. Moralis’ combination.

“Our basic strategy is that Piraeus looks to the sea, which has already given life to many generations of Piraeus residents, which opens up the port to the ends of the world”, stated the mayoral candidate characteristically.

As Mr. Moralis stated, the oceanic shipping, maritime tourism, trade, maritime education and all mainland services in support of marine activities create strong links between Piraeus and the protagonists of international trade and underlined that the basic axes of the program for growth and the creation of new jobs are based on the sea.

Mr. Moralis gave an example of the power that Piraeus can acquire in the future, of the studies done by the Boston Consulting Group, which indicate that the potential contribution of shipping to the extra added value of the country may amount to 12.7 billion per annum.

However, the most important thing for the Mayoral candidate is that it may be able to add half a million job openings.

“In this way, unemployment in the country can be drastically reduced by 1/3, and of course, there can be a total elimination of unemployment in Piraeus”, he said.

“That’s why we are speaking of the need of Piraeus to look to the sea. This is why leading personalities from the shipping and business world like Vangelis Marinakis are with us. This is why Petros Kokkalis supports us. This is the reason why we ask for the support of many other worthy citizens”, he continued, delving deeper into his vision to turn Piraeus into an international shipping center, worthy of comparison to London and Singapore, which will in turn create new jobs.

Specifically, Mr. Moralis stated that he envisions new jobs from attracting foreign investments and from educational programs combined with  the forwarding of the unemployed towards maritime professions and new businesses that will be established in Piraeus, but also from the existing, supporting businesses, which will aid the former in becoming internationally competitive.

“We are all united by the desire to support entrepreneurship”, he said and added: We are united by the desire of strengthening the youth that wishes to become businessmen and the knowledge we possess in order for them to secure initial funding, to obtain modern offices and for their plans to be supported until they can, on their own two feet, stand and be able to open up to international markets”.

Marinakis: “We can overcome, we can overthrow”.

In his statements, Mr. Marinakis said he feels very excited after arriving at Kaminia today and having met many people who had stood by his father’s side in older times, that support him in his fight for Piraeus.

“I honestly believe that it is worthwhile to fight the good fight for Piraeus. We have done things in our lives, we have been successful in business, with our families…We can do something for Piraeus, our greatest love”.

“We can overcome, we can overthrow. It takes alot of work and we are ready to go above and beyond, without exaggeration, without false hopes. Anything we promise, we will make happen, we have learned how to win. Piraeus will be victorious”, stated Mr. Marinakis.

Former V. Michaloliakos’ vice-mayor added to Moralis’ ballot.

Mr. Moralis’ ballot will include former vice-mayor of Mr. Michaloliakos, Kyriakos Sigalakos.

In a statement issued by Mr. Sigalakos, he stated that Piraeus “must stop fighting for what should be a given, and must move forward”.

“The successful road that the mayoral candidate has traversed, enhanced by the presence of Vangelis Marinakis’ candiddacy, who has demonstrated his passion of Piraeus in practice, constitute guarantees for the integration of Piraeus into an ‘orbit of development’, creating jobs for our children”, he stated and added that on his part, as an architect and candidate alderman, he will contribute with all his strengths and scientific expertise to this collective effort!.