“The role of local and regional authorities in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis is particularly catalytic," stated Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Athens at the online event "Covid-19: Local and regional authorities on the front line”. "Wherever we are, we present common characteristics and face similar challenges: carrying out our work with our citizens from the bottom up, transcending our political colors and solving problems concretely rather than talking about them," he stressed.
“In Greece faced with this new health crisis, we have chosen to trust experts and act in full transparency and in close cooperation with the central government, "he explained.
“The Covid-19 crisis is as much a challenge as it is an opportunity. It highlighted the structural inequalities that persist in our cities which is why, in Athens, our efforts have focused on the most vulnerable people,” underlined the Mayor of Athens. "It is also an opportunity to digitally reinvent the city. We delivered services on the internet while continuing to provide all the necessary services to citizens,” he added.
The Mayor of Athens concluded by stressing that “it’s not only about bouncing back, it's about pushing forward”, underlining that in the “day after the virus”, lessons on the role of local and regional authorities in multi-level coordination and on citizens' rights will have to be learned.
*** "COVID-19: Local and regional authorities on the front line" event - 7 December 2020 ***
Dossier - Agenda - Photo - Video
