Public-private projects approved
A government committee approved yesterday of 18 new development projects, to a total budget of 1.725 billion euros through public-private partnership (PPP). The projects agreed on are taking the total budget for approved PPP plans to 5.5 billion euros. They include the public transport electronic ticket as well as the electronic update of the proximity of the next bus and trolley on screens at various stops. Other projects approved are the construction of 50 schools, 16 gymnasiums and 16 swimming installations, various buildings for the fire service and the police and a number of regional projects at Tripolis, Polighiros, Chios and Thessaloniki. Flight simulators for the Navy’s S-70 helicopters and the Air Force’s Super Pumas and A-109 choppers will also be funded, along with programs for housing the personnel of various armed forces agencies in Crete and Piraeus. More project approvals are expected by the end of the year, although Economy Ministry officials suggested that emphasis will now go to implementing the existing plans and not on drafting new ones. Sources suggest that a major PPP program being planned has to do with the link-up of an estimated 2 million households in Greece with optical fiber, aimed at bringing the country on a par with Europe.
