Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Friday, 21st of August, 2020, declared the start of preliminary work on the ‘Hellinikon Project,’ a long-delayed development at the prime seaside site just west of Glyfada.
The PM hailed the start of work as a major step in the implementation of what he described as “possibly the largest project in the Mediterranean.” After his brief speech on-site, bulldozers began pulling down one of the more than 200 abandoned buildings.
The development of the 620-hectare (1,500-acre) old airport site was sold to a consortium led by Greek Lamda Development, which has planned an 8 billion-euro investment, including a park, housing, shopping areas, a marina, hotels and a beach that will be freely accessible.
Mitsotakis said the development would lead to the creation of 80,000 jobs and the project would be environmentally friendly and guarantee access for all residents of the wider Athens region.
“Today we make a start, but there is a long road ahead of us,” Mitsotakis said, noting that it could take 10 years for the development to be completed.
“It will be a modern, ecological project that is friendly towards the environment,” Mitsotakis said. “A project that will symbolise the new Greece, as I believe we all envisage it.”
Source: The Associated Press
