The Mayor of Kos, Theodosis Nikitaras, has sent a letter to the Mayor of Kalymnos, Giannis Mastrokoukos, inviting him to engage in a dialogue within the Kalymnos Municipal Council regarding waste management. The goal is to find a solution that does not burden Kos environmentally or Kalymnos residents financially.
The Mayor of Kos highlights that the construction of Waste Processing Units on both islands is based on an approved Regional Waste Management Plan. He also mentions that he resorted to legal action due to the refusal of the Mayor of Kalymnos to engage in dialogue and is prepared to escalate the matter to the European Court.
However, the letter does not mention that the Mayor of Kos previously voted in favor of decisions by the South Aegean Waste Management Authority (FODSA) in 2021, 2022, and 2023, approving the transfer of Kalymnos’ waste to the Kos landfill, whether compacted or not.
The letter follows:
Honorable Mayor,
Given the recent developments, including the approval by the Interministerial PPP Committee on February 5, 2025, for the implementation of Integrated Recycling and Waste Recovery Units in the municipalities of Kos and Kalymnos, and your announcement on March 6, 2025, regarding the commencement of work on the Kalymnos waste transfer station to the Kos landfill, I find it necessary to address you again—both personally and before your Municipal Council—to rectify, even at this last moment, erroneous decisions and unfortunate actions that have unjustly created problems and tensions between our islands.
Unfortunately, you did not respond to my invitation in October (letter no. 27136/09-10-2024) for both our Municipal Councils to discuss the critical issue of waste management. Your refusal has compelled us to seek legal recourse to protect Kos from environmentally harmful practices, a process that is still ongoing.
Nevertheless, in the spirit of good neighborliness, we must exhaust all avenues of dialogue and cooperation. Since the approval of the Waste Processing Units for both islands mandates a shift from last year’s arbitrary plans, we should revert to the original decisions in accordance with national legislation.
After all, adherence to lawful decisions safeguards the public interest—ensuring that Kos does not suffer environmental harm while Kalymnos residents avoid public health risks and excessive financial penalties for non-compliance.
The already approved provision from June 1, 2023, allows Kalymnos to compact and store waste for up to three years before transferring it to processing facilities. If this process begins in the coming months, Kalymnos can manage its waste until the summer of 2028, providing ample time for the construction of waste processing plants, which are projected to begin operations in March 2027. Even with an 18-month delay, Kalymnos can still legally proceed with compacting, storing, and eventually transferring waste to its own processing facility.
As I understand it, Greece incurs a fine of €80,000 every six months for each illegal landfill that is not restored. By early 2022, a total of €1,040,000 had already been imposed and collected in fines for Kalymnos’ landfill, spanning 13 non-compliant periods per the European Court ruling. Since then, an additional €480,000 has likely accrued (six more periods). On top of this, further fines have been issued by the Fire Department and other authorities, including a €344,015 fine on May 22, 2024. These penalties now amount to nearly €2,000,000.
The South Aegean Region has already approved the environmental commitments that allow Kalymnos to proceed with waste compaction. Even at this stage, this option remains available, aligning with national law and the proposal submitted by FODSA in March 2023, which mandates waste processing units to be operational by March 2027.
Citizens should not bear the financial burden of fines that could be avoided through proper management. Since your Municipal Council unilaterally decided on July 29, 2024, to transfer waste to Kos—without our input—eight months have passed, during which the Kalymnos landfill continues to operate unlawfully, attracting ongoing fines with no action taken to implement the available legal solutions.
This situation negatively impacts the residents of Kalymnos, extends the risk to public health, and incurs continuous financial penalties.
Honorable Mayor, as you are aware, the Municipality of Kos has appealed to the Council of State, the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece, regarding this matter. Additionally, we are prepared to escalate the case to the European Court, as we firmly believe in the justice of our island’s stance.
We do not wish to govern through conflict. We prefer consensus and democratic dialogue. However, when dialogue is refused, we will defend our land and our citizens’ interests by any means necessary.
Once again, considering the latest developments, we urge you to hold an open and democratic discussion within the Kalymnos Municipal Council to reach decisions beneficial to both communities.
As institutional representatives of our societies, we have a moral duty to address our citizens jointly, providing them with information and clarity on this critical issue. We must not ignore reality or neglect our responsibilities as the closest level of government to the people. Our fellow citizens expect us to engage in dialogue.
I trust in your recognition and objective evaluation of the updated facts. I look forward to your response to our willingness to attend a Kalymnos Municipal Council session for an honest and constructive discussion.
With respect and appreciation,
Mayor of Kos,
Theodosis A. Nikitaras
