Thessaloniki Mayor to OT.gr – ‘This will be the new face of Thessaloniki

Referring to the Thessaloniki International Fair, Mr. Zervas said characteristically: We must try new forms in order to evolve. The TIF had to change, not only on the issue of infrastructure, image and aesthetics but also its cooperation with the city. When the lights go out, no one approaches the area. Apart from being an exhibition center, it must also be open to the citizens of Thessaloniki.”

As he described, “The Velideio is leaving, the OTE tower will remain, there will be a common area of ​​7 hectares, there will be a promenade from the square of HANTH (YMCA) onwards, and the buildings that will be made, namely the conference hall, the exhibition hall… the Palais de Sports will remain but it needs renovation, underground parking will be built, so that the Thessaloniki International Fair venue is now a breath of fresh air for the city “.

Mr. Zervas placed special emphasis on infrastructure, emphasizing that “the development we expect, the new face of Thessaloniki will not be completed if the infrastructure is not completed. The number one problem is traffic. The Prime Minister promised that by the end of 2023 we will have the metro. At the moment, test routes are being made from the Sintrivani to the depot.

From there we go to projects like the Fly over, the airport, which is the first success story of Thessaloniki, the port. We still have the other road junctions and a large package with interventions, such as the axis of Aristotelous Square, Dioikitiriou Square, Eleftherias Square, extension of the promenade of the old beach, plus the large Kalochori-Angelochori front to which the Prime Minister referred, we have the reconstruction of the Thessaloniki International Fair, the Toumba stadium, the Charilaou stadium, which will be a double renovation “.

Referring to maritime transport, the mayor of Thessaloniki stated that “I am in favor of maritime transport. The issue is sustainability. The way must be found for this transport to be sustainable. There is a plan and budget for the construction of 5 stations, but let’s not start things that will not be able to work the day after.”

In relation to the large investments recently made in the city, Mr. Zervas referred to Deloitte, Pfizer, and Sisco, noting that the entry of these companies raised the bar and with their arrival, creating different payroll norms.