By the beginning of 2023 we are auctioning 4 billion more projects

The multiple benefits for the economy and society created by the rally in construction were mentioned from the podium of the 5th  Conference on Infrastructure and Transport, the  Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. George Karagiannis , while inviting them market representatives, with extroversion and competitiveness, to be the new ambassadors of the country with Microsoft Development firm.

According to Mr. Karagiannis, "in less than 3 years we have auctioned 8 billion projects and we have contracted 3.5 billion projects that are already being implemented". He added, in fact, that "by the beginning of next year we will have auctioned projects with a total budget of 4 billion and we will have already contracted most of what is left".

As the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure stressed, "the forecast according to a study prepared, in collaboration with the National Technical University of Athens, is that the contribution of these projects is of the order of 200,000 jobs for the next three years" and added that "we are given already the opportunity to put Brain Gain into action. "

In his speech, Mr. Karagiannis acknowledged the challenges facing the market due to the health crisis and the Russian invasion of Ukraine and announced that the decision on the revised raw material rates for the fourth quarter of 2021 has been published in the Official Gazette and will start in the next days the revision for the first quarter of 2022.

Reforms that are a legacy for the future

The Undersecretary of Infrastructure focused on the reforms that are underway and change the way the projects are matured and auctioned, while responding to the demands of the market.

Indicatively, he mentioned the recommendation of the Price Observatory and the company that was set up with the responsibility of updating prices and specifications for the immediate adjustment, in real time purchase prices, of the auction budgets of the projects.

Also, the digitization projects such as the large project management project that will address the increased information, monitoring and planning needs of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the project of monitoring the static behavior of bridges through the installation of a fiber optic network.

Perhaps the most important breakthrough, according to Mr. Karagiannis, was the change in the Law on Public Procurement, in 4412, the benefits of which "have already been seen by the market as well as the institutionalization of the submission of model proposals by the market and private supervision in studies and projects ".

"In their full operation, both of these tools will be a great multiplier of speed and dynamics in the production process of projects," he noted, adding that "our project pipeline has already attracted international interest from construction companies, consulting companies, investment and financial companies." underlined.

Reheating the economy at national and regional level

Describing the image created by the major projects that have already been launched and are being implemented, Mr. Karagianis stressed:

"Think of Crete after the completion of VOAK, which begins this year after decades of discussions and after the completion of Kastle.

Think of Northern Greece after the completion of the major railway projects that will connect the ports of Thessaloniki, Kavala and Alexandropoulos with Bulgaria and the Black Sea.

Think of Attica after the completion of the extension to Piraeus in the summer, after the delivery of Line 4, after the new extensions to the West and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, after the completion of Kymi Avenue and the new extensions of the Attiki Odos to Elliniko and to the ports of Rafina and Lavrio.

But also think of Thessaloniki, after the Completion of the Metro, the Flyover, the new Suburban Railway of Western Thessaloniki ".

We want Greek construction companies to be our ambassadors

In closing, the Undersecretary of Infrastructure called on the market to fulfill its role.

"It's time for researchers and manufacturers to self-reform and adapt to new globalized data. To open their eyes to the future and beyond the borders of the country. "With extroversion and competitiveness to be our new ambassadors" he noted characteristically.

He pointed out that "it is time for the studies and projects to run and in cooperation with the Ministry and the other contracting authorities to deliver them fully and functionally to those who rightfully belong to them. To the Greek citizens ".