South Aegean Regional Governor and Chairman of the Board of the South Aegean Solid Waste Management Authority (FODSA), Giorgos Chatzimarkos, visited Kalymnos on Thursday, September 10, 2026, accompanied by mayors from the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.
The visit focused on the island’s transition towards a modern and sustainable waste-management system and the progress of the projects currently underway.
A key stop was the Kalymnos Waste Transfer Station, where Mr Chatzimarkos and the attending mayors, who are members of the South Aegean FODSA, inspected the facilities and witnessed their effective operation firsthand.
Visibly pleased and moved by the progress achieved, the South Aegean Regional Governor stated that, despite the opposition encountered along the way, a decades-old vision for rational and modern waste management was finally becoming a reality in Kalymnos, with the support of the South Aegean FODSA.
Mayor of Kalymnos Ioannis Mastrokoukos also expressed his satisfaction, highlighting the excellent cooperation between the Municipality and Mr Chatzimarkos on a series of important projects and initiatives for the island.
Before visiting the Waste Transfer Station, the delegation attended a courtesy meeting at the Kalymnos Provincial Administration offices with the Eparch of the Kalymnos Regional Unit, Manolis Mousellis. During the meeting, Mr Mousellis presented the projects currently being implemented on Kalymnos by the South Aegean Region.
The delegation of mayors subsequently visited Kalymnos Town Hall. At midday, the General Assembly of the South Aegean FODSA convened at the island’s Cultural Centre.
The day concluded with Mr Chatzimarkos attending a meeting of the Kalymnos Municipal Council. Council members received a detailed briefing on the progress of the project and the next steps towards delivering a permanent solution to the island’s long-standing waste-management problem.
The visit highlighted the importance of cooperation between the South Aegean Region, the Municipality of Kalymnos and FODSA in an initiative intended to transform waste management on the island and leave outdated practices firmly in the past.
