Eleftheria Tiliakou, No Filter
The lighting of the Christmas tree in Vathy on December 12, 2025 was one of those moments that remind you why local communities still have a soul. Kudos to the Parents and Guardians Association of Vathy Primary School for the initiative, and kudos to everyone who supported the event and contributed to its success.
The joy on the children’s faces, at the moment the lights came on and the sky lit up with fireworks, was worth every minute of effort. In that instant, everything looked the way it should be.
Beyond festive events—which are necessary to bring people together in an era that often feels cold, harsh, and digital—those in authority must also turn their attention to the infrastructure issues the village continues to lack.
Some positives deserve recognition. The rural medical clinic that is now operating is a meaningful step for the village. The forthcoming lighting of the provincial road Pothia–Vathy is also important for safety and quality of life. But let’s not kid ourselves: these are necessary, not sufficient.
Two issues are urgent and pressing.
The first concerns water. The extraction of water from the springs of Vathy to supply the entire island was, for years, a pre-election talking point—and when it was finally implemented, it proved in practice to be a major mistake. The water is insufficient, its quality has deteriorated due to over-extraction, and the village has lost a valuable natural resource. An agricultural village, with a direct need for this water, was deprived of it. And for what reason? So that water could run uncontrollably from hoses in the city’s neighborhoods, be wasted as if it were inexhaustible, and—most importantly—serve vote-hunting purposes?
In the same vein is the spring of Nomikouaina. It has dried up, no longer flows, and no one took care to restore a spring that was a point of reference, a place people stopped to collect water, and a feature that added value to the area. Along with the spring, the plane tree beside it is also withering—a tree traditionally planted near fountains because it needs abundant water and can live for centuries. Today, it is a shadow of its former self, literally and symbolically. Notably, a so-called environmental association that once existed in Vathy watched all this happen before its eyes and remained indifferent.
The second issue is the biological wastewater treatment plant in Rina. It requires immediate maintenance and upgrading to cope with the population increase during the summer months. Leakages make life unbearable for nearby residents. Yes, it was built—wrongly—within a residential area, something the law prohibits. But that does not change today’s reality. Before summer arrives, corrective actions must be taken now. Not tomorrow. Not “we’ll look into it.”
Vathy is not asking for favors. It is asking for infrastructure worthy of a village with uninterrupted human presence since the Paleolithic era, something proven by countless archaeological findings.
The lighting of the Christmas tree reminded us of what we can achieve when there is willingness and cooperation. Now it remains to prove that we can do the same when things are difficult. Because when the lights come down after the holidays, the problems remain.
