“We bash not privation the country astir the Acropolis to go a tourer mall. We privation it to clasp its authenticity,” stressed Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens, successful a treatment wrong the model of the Athens Democracy Forum 2025, (September 30 -October 3, 2025) which is being held nether the auspices of the HE of the President of the Republic and organized by the Democracy & Culture Foundation, successful collaboration with the Municipality of Athens and The New York Times.
From left: Jyoti Thottam, Senior Editor, The New York Times - Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens - Bill de Blasio, erstwhile Mayor of New York
During a treatment that besides included erstwhile New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Mr. Doukas referred to the problems facing section communities, specified arsenic the deficiency of affordable housing. “Many municipalities don’t person the wealth oregon the radical to lick these problems, truthful they person to crook to the government,” helium stressed, adding that spot and practice are required, arsenic good arsenic transparency regarding responsibilities: “Which assemblage is liable for what.”
Regarding the contented of overtourism, Mr. Doukas stressed that successful immoderate areas of Athens, the equilibrium betwixt tourists and residents has been lost. “We had to respond to this,” helium said, recalling that the Municipality stopped caller short-term rentals (Airbnb) successful the circumstantial areas.
“We don’t privation the country astir the Acropolis to go a tourer mall. We privation it to support its authenticity,” helium emphasized.
Referring to the hotels, helium asked “what benignant of caller units bash we privation and, supra all, however precocious should they be?” “We privation to guarantee that everyone tin spot the Acropolis,” helium emphasized, referring to the applicable decisions of the City Council that spot restrictions connected the tallness of buildings.
“It is our work to support Athens live and support the equilibrium with tourists,” helium repeated.
On the contented of societal housing, successful effect to a question from coordinator Jyoti Thottam (Senior Editor, New York Times), helium called connected the authorities to springiness municipalities the responsibilities and resources to physique apartments for susceptible families. “Without decentralization of powers, we discarded time, arsenic the procedures are complicated, and this negatively affects societal cohesion,” helium stressed.
“The relation of the Municipality is to guarantee societal cohesion, to guarantee that nary 1 is near behind,” Mr. Doukas further stated, expressing his solidarity with the mayors of Istanbul and Budapest, who – arsenic helium said – are facing threats and persecution by the authorities.
For his part, the erstwhile Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, noted that determination is simply a situation of societal cohesion successful each cities. “Social inequality is not sustainable,” helium stressed, calling connected leaders to admit the problem. At the aforesaid time, helium welcomed the relation of cities successful efforts to fortify Democracy, wherever – arsenic helium said – a beardown “bottom-up” mobility is developing. “This tin beryllium the starting constituent for the restoration of Democracy. Hope is recovered successful the roots,” helium stressed.
Elsewhere successful the discussion, helium called connected governments to fortify the decentralization of powers, truthful that the tools for solving problems are person to citizens, astatine the section level. “We indispensable make the request for governments to bash more,” helium added, reiterating the value and necessity of decentralization.
In fact, helium noted that the occupation is not the deficiency of money, but its distribution. “The wealth exists,” helium stressed, calling for a question to beryllium created successful favour of taxation of the rich, done which the instauration of tens of thousands of affordable homes for middle- and working-class families tin beryllium financed.
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