PM meets with new regional governor of Thessaly
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met on Tuesday with the newly elected regional governor of Thessaly, Dimitris Kouretas, to discuss the issues concerning the region.
Mitsotakis congratulated Kouretas and said the government is committed to working together with the local officials to improve the lives of citizens.
Kouretas, backed by both the socialist PASOK and left-wing SYRIZA parties, beat New Democracy-backed incumbent governor, Kostas Agorastos 40% to 60% in the second round of regional elections last Sunday.
Thessaly was hard hit by two mega-storms that hit in a space of three weeks, flooding vast areas of farmland. Of the 72,000 hectares that were flooded, the most part is agricultural land. More than 85,000 animals drowned and their shelter was destroyed in the storms. At the same time, factories for processing agricultural products were buried under the mud.
The region, considered Greece’s breadbasket, is responsible for producing 70% of the country’s sugar beet, 50% of industrial tomatoes and major pulses like peas, 30% of cotton and barley, and 20% of hay used in livestock farming, not to mention much of its fruit and vegetables.
