Greece Forward III: Progressive Policies for the Cities of Today and Tomorrow
Athens, 4 October 2017
FEPS Activity Report
FEPS October 2017
Our third annual conference in Athens, 'Greece Forward III: Progressive Policies for the Cities of Today and Tomorrow’, co-organised with DIKTIO - Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, focused on all key issues related to the future of cities and their citizens, at a political, social, cultural and economic level. Hosted in Athens, one of the world’s most important and creative cities since the ancient times, the intention was to ignite a meaningful debate on how we envision the present and future of large urban centres, taking into account the Greek and European experiences. To this aim, ‘Greece Forward III’ aimed at investigating the increasingly significant role that modern cities can play not only as epicentres and catalysts of growth, development, and democratic experimentation.
The conference took place on Wednesday, October 4th, at the Acropolis Museum, in Athens. It featured the participation of H.E. The President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the Mayors of Athens, Florence, Lemessos, Thessaloniki, and Pireaus, as well as a number of leading policy-makers, policy experts and academics from Greece and from Europe.
Introductory remarks
Dr. Ernst Stetter, Secretary General of FEPS, highlighted in his opening remarks that the very course of urbanization and modern urban organization have rendered cities the dominant social, economic and demographic structure of today’s world. Dr. Stetter marked that the future of cities coincides with the very future of nation states, as cities are now the main environment of growth and social progress, especially in an era when experiments of democratic innovation and urban planning have paramount impact to a national and supranational level. In the modern world, Dr. Stetter mentioned, notions such as diversity, multiculturalism, tolerance and sustainability are primarily tested in an urban level before being tested in broadened environments. The Secretary General of FEPS concluded that 21st century will be “The century of the City” and that as much as cities grow, we will be asked to give progressive responses to emerging challenges related to them; responses that must be substantially human-centred and not based on consumerist models and profit-chasing goals.
The President of DIKTIO Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, Mrs Anna Diamantopoulou, in her inaugural speech, tried to provide the audience with answers to the question of whether a
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progressive framework for crafting urban policies does ultimately exist. Mrs Diamantopoulou identified the IV Industrial Revolution, the all growing refugee flows and the shift of the planet economic equilibrium as the major challenges introduced by the 21st century. At the same time, she pointed out the locality is the major factor from which both the EU as a whole and each member state separately should begin with analyzing, so as to efficiently be tackling modern- day problems. Furthermore, Mrs Diamantopoulou referred to the structures and the model of governance a 21st century model city should be based upon, reminding the deadlock created by institutional and economic dependence of regional governments on central bureaucracies. The President of DIKTIO concluded that economic self-governance, broader power and support for high technology and organized innovation are prerequisites of cities’ being adapted to new realities.
Opening remarks
Η.Ε. The President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos
The President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, referred during his speech, to the paramount importance of cities as the major politically and culturally organized institution, defending democracy all and those values the Western civilization stands upon. Mr. Pavlopoulos marked that cities can constitute substantial pillars of, not only cohesion and coexistence but also eradication of nationalistic threats, mentioning indicatively, the paradigm of the Catalonian referendum. He also highlighted that cities can contribute to deeper and more democratically legitimized European integration, functioning as bridges between supranational organizations and nation-state, “the main actor structured according to the principles of representative parliamentary democracy”. Last but not least, Mr. Pavlopoulos, referred to the role of cities when it comes to development of innovation and to their potential to drive ahead the whole country which they belong to, without jeopardizing welfare state and the rule of law.
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First Session: Organising the Demos in Democracy: Cities as Labs of Democratic Innovation and Governance
Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence, Italy
Olga Zrihen , Vice President of the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions
Kostas Bakoyannis, Regional Governor of Central Greece
Amalia Zepou, Vice Mayor for Civil Society and Innovation, City of Athens
Panagiotis Vlachos, Head of ‘Mprosta’ (Forward), Lawyer, Institute for Local Governance and Policy Innovation, EPLO
The Mayor of Florence, Mr. Dario Nardella, highlighted that the global economic crisis had two main consequences to cities: the dramatic reduction of public resources available and the growing popular disenchantment towards the political system, which in turn paved the way for populist movements to emerge, in a European level. Mr Nardella pointed out that the “Great Recession” managed to radically transform the center- periphery relations, because cuts in public expenditure have reinforced centralization, thus countering a previous beneficial trend. Furthermore he supported that the main questions needing responses are, on the one hand, how to deliver goods and services of quality, though with restrained resources and on the other hand, how to relegitimize traditional parties. Mr. Nardella concluded accentuating that the first challenge is related to our achieving the goal of economic efficiency without applying abstract austerity policies and that the second challenge is a matter of leadership, political vision and citizens’ involvement to political processes.
Mrs Olga Zrihen, Vice President of PES to the Committee of Regions, marked the imperative for closer cooperation between citizens and authorities when it comes to decision-making processes. Mrs. Zrihen highlighted that citizens cannot be treated as plain consumers but as actors definitive of policies related to issues crucial to their very everyday life, such as environmental problems, housing and local investments. She concluded supporting that transparency, the promotion of participatory projects (such as participatory budgets) and the empowerment of cultural initiatives can reinforce citizens’ collective conscience and can function as tools of social cohesion.
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Mr. Panagiotis Vlachos analyzed the concept urban innovation and its characteristics. He pointed out that innovation cannot be happening in a state of political void, that it is not “colorless”, while requiring organizational efficiency and social legitimization. Furthermore, he supported that innovation in essentially generated in a local level, as it expressed primarily local needs, being based at the same time, in participation and inclusivity. Lastly, Mr. Vlachos mentioned the notion of “smart cities” and their ability of using and synthesizing knowledge and information so as to regulate the implementation of targeted policies, taking also into consideration all the new consumerist models and the existent fiscal incapacities.
Mr. Costis Bakoyannis, Governor of Central Greece talked about the inherent contradiction in terms characterizing the Greek local administration, as locality is actually eliminated by the “hyperlocal” character of the existent problems such as inequality, unemployment and poverty, with local authorities powers being also restrained by a bureaucratic and centralized government. Mr. Bakoyannis marked that economic decentralization as well as and the loosening of the ties between the various local governments and the central one, constitutes the major and most important institutional reform to be made. Mr Bakoyannis suggested, indicatively, that the duty of ENFIA tax collection be transferred right under the jurisdiction of regional governments, recognizing though, that such a measure might create multi-speed municipalities, it would enhance competitiveness and productivity nevertheless. To conclude, Governor Bakoyannis highlighted that local authorities can contribute to a great extent to effectively addressing the challenge of populist emergence exactly due to their immediate trust and accountability relations with constituents.
Mrs Amalia Zeppou, Vice-Mayor of Athens, focused herself to presenting the sinAthena initiative the Municipality of Athens has been running since 2013. sinAthena is a platform aiming at chartering and coordinating the innovative human capital existent in civil society as well as the “phenomena of spontaneous self-organization in the public sphere.” Mrs Zeppou marked that, from the very beginning of the initiative, the structures of sinAthina have supported over 2500 activities, realized by over 340 different civil society groups. From the evidence collected through those citizens’ activities, municipal authorities find themselves capable of gaining valuable information concerning citizens’ priorities; thus, it’s becoming easier to be crafting policies adapted to citizens’ will and needs.
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Second Session: Thriving through Diversity: Cities as Vibrant Dots in an Interconnected World
Nikos Nikolaidis, Mayor of Limassol, Cyprus
Kalypso Goula, President of the City Council of Thessaloniki
Panagiotis Tsakonas , Professor of Security Studies, University of the Aegean, President of the BoD, Center for Security Studies (KEMEA)
Alexandra Daliani , Architect, Think Tank – ekyklos
Nikos Nikolaidis, Mayor of Limassol, pointed out that the flexibility of cities to render themselves extrovert and tolerant, open to influences coming from different peoples and civilizations is a condition sine qua non for achieving sustainable development. Mr. Nikolaidis referred to the “duality of growth”, meaning that growth should combine economic prosperity and social cohesion, secured by fair wealth sharing. Referring to essential ways of achieving sustainable growth, Mr. Nikolaidis mentioned the creation of international for a aiming at attracting investments; the affiliation between cities at home and abroad so as to facilitate business partnerships; and the establishment of multicultural festivals so as for refugees and migrants to be easily incorporated in domestic societies.
Mrs. Kalipso Goula, President of the Municipal Council of Thessaloniki, referred to the endeavour of her city to reclaim its multicultural character and to build social structures despite diminished resources. Mr Goula pointed out the ways in which, contesting funding forms different than those provided by the government, such as grants offered by EU programs or private foundations, Thessaloniki managed to efficiently tackle complex social challenges, such as the refugee flows. President Goula also highlighted that the incorporation of such structures to the urban net can contribute to vulnerable groups being easily adapted to society, which in turn translates into promotion of social balance and uniformity.
Mrs. Alexandra Daliani, architect and member of e-kyklos think tank, addressed the issue of the formation of a modern urban design model, stressing also the importance of perceiving cities as networks of interaction between persons and functions. Mrs Daliani identified growing inequality, ageing of population, unemployment and criminality as the main factors resulting in the modern urban landscape becoming more and more unpredictable and absurd. What’s more, she marked that the new urban design model should take into consideration the new realities imposed by modern- day infrastructures and technology, treating also the city as a socioeconomic ecosystem.
Prof. Panagiotis Tsakonas addressed, in his remarks, the security challenges facing modern cities, accentuating that the concept of the “safe city” lies to its “capability of enhancing its resilience”. Prof Tsakonas highlighted that the absence of a central strategy has triggered major problems related to challenge and crisis prevention and management in a local level, stating also that the prerequisites of implementing progressive policy proposals are of both political and institutional nature. He identified the achieving of broad consensus and the creation of a “new security contract within Greek society” as the major political challenge, while he included the ability of different level security actors to
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cooperate when it comes to crafting policy and managing challenges as one of the main institutional ones.
Third Session: Investing in the Future: Cities as Generators of Growth and Sustainability
Afroditi Panagiotakou , Director of Culture of the Onassis Foundation
Kyriakos Pierrakakis , Director of Research, diaNEOsis
Yiannis Thomatos , Vice President, Delphi Economic Forum
Maria Kaika , Professor of Urban, Regional and Environmental Planning, University of Amsterdam
Mrs. Afroditi Panagiotakou, Cultural Director of the Onassis Foundation, addressed the issue of relations between culture and sustainability within the city. Mrs. Panagiotakou pointed out that cultural products, if they are to be substantial and efficient, should adapt to the expectations of the human capital they seek to reach, highlighting at the same time that the degree of their influence depends on the extent of locality they incorporate, the potential sense of ownership they manage to create to audience, as well as on whether they achieve in developing a “situationist relationship” with the environment they are realized in. Moreover, Mrs Panagiotakou, stressed the need to focus not only on the result but also on the very production process of a cultural product. Lastly, she stressed the need to be investing to spreading individuals’ creative forces throughout society; a need whose satisfaction is an indispensable prerequisite of human prosperity, meaning of the economic one, too.
Mrs. Maria Kaika, Professor of Urban and Regional Development with the University of Amsterdam, expressed her serious doubts on whether smart cities constitute actually the solution to our problems or in reality are part of it. Providing the conference with numerous examples, she supported that “our increased sustainability and smartness is someone else’s socio-environmental disaster”. What’s more, Mrs. Kaika, pointed out that the word “sustainability” has rendered itself an empty signifier, as techno-managerial solutions are the perfect alibi for intensifying resources exploitation, perpetual profit seeking and increased inequality within cities.
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Mr. Kyriakos Pierrakakis, director of research of DIaNEOsis think tank, referred to the imperative for reforming the very institutional structure of Greek cities, proposing the establishment of a “second Kallikratis” bill, concerning both the powers exerted and the type of budget managed by local governments. Giving specific examples, Mr Pierrakakis supported that local government actors are in fact unable of intervening and making decisions even when it comes to issues directly influencing their own development and investment rate. He firmly spoke for the creation of a metropolitan administrative entity, namely a structure invested with interventionist privileges when it comes to economic and regulation issues
“What’s actually the position of Athens compared to other capitals when it comes to competitiveness and hierarchy?”, wondered Mr. Yannis Thomatos, VP of the Delphi Economic Forum, during his intervention, concluding in the first place that the capital of Greece in not at the epicentre of different types of flows, whether it comes to capital, ideas or information ones. Mr Thomatos supported that Athens should define itself “against cities reinventing themselves through their past so as to attract investments”, in order to address a global audience via its specialty, defining the required symbolisms to forge an identity necessary to stimulate its competitiveness. Mr Thomatos identified as prerequisites for sustainable growth, the support of local production, the offering of incentives for realizing high-calibre construction projects and the prior reassurance that these projects will be received by solid and efficient infrastructures. Indispensable to all to aforesaid is, of course, some actions endorsing, and not blocking, private initiatives.
Progressive solutions – Finding a new way forward
Georgios Kaminis , Mayor of Athens
Yiannis Boutaris , Mayor of Thessaloniki
Yiannis Moralis , Mayor of Piraeus
Anna Diamantopoulou, Former EU Commissioner, President of DIKTIO
Mr. Yorgos Kaminis, Mayor of Athens, supported that the very course of globalization, followed by the decrease of national sovereignty has brought cities, and especially megacities, right to the center of political process, in a global scale. Mr. Kaminis marked that despite the challenges and treats facing modern cities, such as the lack of metropolitan administrative structure, the splitting of powers and a relative democratic deficit, they are asked to be providing efficient responses and adapt to new realities. The utilization of international networks; the promotion of democracy through tools offered by the digital age; the encouragement of citizens to be partaking to political processes; all the aforesaid are indispensable prerequisites for a modern “demos” to be efficient. Besides, Mr. Kaminis continued, the modern “Demos” should be functioning as a superstructure, coordinating the city and its various networks. What’s more, the Mayor of Athens went on observing the restricted participation of local governments in European level decision-making, suggesting that an institutional framework be created, allowing local authorities to absorb European and other types
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of funds in a more direct way, without being tightly controlled and supervised by the central government.
Mr Yannis Boutaris, Mayor of Thessaloniki, cantered his remarks on the concept of “global city”, the challenges facing the modern urban centres as well as on the opportunities arose from the reality of the crisis. Mr. Boutaris pointed out that the “global city” is not only marked by an “institutionally founded multiculturalism” but also requires substantial coexistence and interaction of all pillars of the urban net, followed by a gradual transformation of citizens mentality. He supported that contemporary cities are not just “public coexistence spaces” but also “public spheres of dialogue and comprehension”. Talking about the institutional challenges plaguing today’s cities, Mr Boutaris highlighted the fact that cities are hetero-determine due to the role of centralized states, the absence of specific official networks transferring cities’ collective will to European institutions and agencies, binding the EU, and the insufficiency of the advisory status of the Committee of Regions. Last but not least, the Mayor of Thessaloniki supported that the contemporary way of tackling threats and problems emerging, lies to the restraint of the power of nation states will parallel development of metropolitan forms of administration and supranational networking and cooperation
The need for the Greek local authorities to follow the “modern urban evolution tendencies” was emphatically stressed by Mr. Yannis Moralis, Mayor of Piraeus, supporting that, while European cities are constantly emerging as hubs of economic growth, the Greek ones are not allowed to perform as such due to omnipotent insuperable obstacles. Mr. Moralis referred to the intertemporal structural problems of Greek economy public administration that block every endeavour for rapid and efficient operation of local governance; namely the fact that all municipalities regardless of their definitive specialties (whether they are mountain, island or big urban ones) are subject to the very
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same laws; the out-dated and insufficient skills of civil servants; the obsolete urban planning legislation; the slow-operating and dysfunctional public administration.
As a conclusion, the President of DIKTIO Network for Reform in Greece and Europe, Mrs. Anna Diamantopoulou, noted that in the 21st century, the primary pillar of development is indeed, “demos”, being at the same time a major pillar of national and supranational (mainly European) coherence. Concerning the Greek experience, Mrs Diamantopoulou mentioned that if decentralization administrative models are not to be applied, structural obstacles would block every single prospect of sustainable growth. DIKTIO’s President, providing various examples from the relative international precedent, showed how cities which had once found themselves in the bottom, diminished and bankrupt, managed to become models of innovation and development. The crafting of a well-structured, stimulating vision combined with a meticulous recording of human and material resources available and the active involvement of civil society; the aforesaid were identified by Mrs. Diamantopoulou as some necessary conditions for achieving deep reforms, with the latter accentuating nevertheless that the foremost prerequisite has always been the unfaltering emphasis on production. Last but not least, Mrs. Diamantopoulou reminded that any kind of central planning when it comes to urban policymaking will always lead to deadlocks, as it fails to recognize the specifics needs of different regional centres.
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