In line with the visits to smaller municipalities of the South Aegean, the Observatory visited the Municipalities of Tilos and Nisyros in the Dodecanese, on June 27-28.
The on-site survey in the Municipality of Tilos took place on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, and included interviews with:
a) Anna Kamma, the Deputy Mayor of Culture, and
b) 5 beneficiaries of social allowances.
The two main issues that emerged from all the interviews are, on the one hand, the limited tourist season with the simultaneous absence of jobs during the remaining months of the year, and on the other hand, the deficiencies in the health sector on the island of Tilos. The core of the discussion was the difficulties faced by the Municipality of Tilos, being a remote island with limited ferry connections, which affects its tourism development, the increased prices of basic items due to transport costs and the services provided for its residents when health issues arise.
The small society of Tilos is characterized by the feeling of solidarity at neighborhood level, and this is why there are no cases of extreme poverty on the island.
The following day, on Wednesday June 28, 2023, a survey was successfully completed in the Municipality of Nisyros during which interviews were conducted with:
a) Evangelos Tasioulas,the Deputy Mayor of Finance, Administrative Staff, e-Government and Monitoring of the Administrative Service of the Citizen, and
b) Anna Ketse, the administrative officer and treasurer of the Municipality.
At the core of the discussion were the difficulties faced by the Municipality of Nisyros, being a remote island far from mainland Greece, as well as the other islands of the Dodecanese, which are compensated on the one hand by the solidarity that characterizes the local community, and on the other hand, by the cooperation of the Municipality with NGOs, mainly in the health sector. As the Deputy Mayor pointed out, Nisyros is now a wealthy Municipality with no cases of extreme poverty and a daily life reminiscent of an old Greek neighborhood.
The Social Inclusion Observatory would like to warmly thank the Municipalities of Tilos and Nisyros as well as all the participants in the survey.
(Text and photos: Katerina Hatzipapa)
