In the statement, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection refers to false allegations by Attiki Odos and denies that a request was made by this company for a "precautionary ban on trucks-heavy vehicles from Sunday night, January 23".
As the Ministry of Climate Change notes, "at the meeting on 23 January it was decided that as far as heavy vehicles were concerned, an assessment of the situation would be made early Monday morning".
It stresses that all management companies, including Attica Routes, guaranteed that they could manage the phenomenon and keep the roads open.
"Especially for the company ATTIKES DIADROMES SA, we reiterate that they assured that they were fully prepared to deal with problems due to snowfall and frost on the road network under their jurisdiction," the ministry said, stressing that "in addition, the company assured that it has more snow removal vehicles than its contractual obligation. Specifically, 35 snow removal vehicles over 70 km (i.e., one vehicle per two kilometres)".
In addition, the ministry notes that on the New Road, "in full cooperation with the Traffic Police, we had a successful management of the difficult situation," and asks, "Why, then, in the case of the New Road (Athens-Lamia) we had the completely successful management, while in the case of Attiki Odos we had the abysmal management, in complete contradiction to the promises and commitments of the company and the authorization from the meeting?"
The ministry's statement also points out.
To conclude. Our obligation is to defend the public interest."
Earlier, Attiki Odos in a statement had blamed the ministry and the traffic police, claiming that it had called for a ban on trucks from Sunday night -as it had done in the bad weather "Medea" (13-17 February 2021)-, something it said it had repeated at the coordination meeting on 23 January.
Attiki Odos also claims that "especially with regard to trucks [], THE MINISTER OF CIVIL PROTECTION TOOK A CLEAR POSITION, SAYING THAT THE ECONOMIC-SUPPLY CHAIN MUST BE ENSURED" AND THAT HE STRESSED THAT "THE STATE CANNOT CLOSE ROADS PROACTIVELY AND SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TRAFFIC POLICE AND THE CONCESSIONAIRES, WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE TRAFFIC POLICE SHOULD INTERVENE WHERE NECESSARY EITHER BY IMMOBILISING TRUCKS OR CHANNELLING THEM BEHIND SALTING MACHINES SO THAT THEY CAN BE MOVED. THE POLICE ALSO AGREED TO THIS PROPOSAL."
It is recalled that on Monday night Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides had blamed Attiki Odos for the chaos, while the following day Attiki Odos CEO Vassilis Chalkias resigned. The company had also previously accepted a compensation of 2,000 euros per vehicle, at the request of the Prime Minister, which the Minister of Infrastructure, Kostas Karamanlis, asked to be paid immediately today, in a meeting with representatives of Attiki Odos.
The following is the announcement of the Ministry of Climate Crisis. We categorically deny: (a) that at the two meetings (21 and 23 January) a request was made by this company for a "precautionary ban on truck-heavy vehicles from the evening of Sunday 23 January". (b) that "all the concessionaires/highway operators present agreed to the proposal for a preventive and in any case timely ban on trucks."
2. Contrary to the company's false claims, it was decided at the 23 January meeting that as far as heavy vehicles were concerned an assessment of the situation would be made early on Monday morning, based on the development and severity of the situation. This is what happened in the case of the New Road (Athens-Lamia) on Monday morning.
3. The management companies, including Attica Routes, have guaranteed that they can manage the phenomenon and keep the roads open.
4. In particular, with regard to the company "ATTIKES DIADROMES SA", we reiterate that they assured that they were fully prepared to deal with problems due to snow and ice on the road network under their responsibility. In addition, the company assured that it has more snow removal vehicles than its contractual obligation. In particular, 35 snow ploughs per 70 km (i.e. one vehicle per two km).
5. The decision of the meeting was implemented in the case of the New Road, for which exactly the same was the case. There, in full cooperation with the traffic police, we had a successful management of the difficult situation. Why, then, in the case of the Nea Odos (Athens-Lamia) we had a completely successful management, while in the case of the Attiki Odos we had a terrible management, in complete contradiction to the promises and commitments of the company and the authorization from the meeting?
6. The acceptance of the demand for EUR 2,000 compensation for each stranded car does not also mean acceptance of responsibility for the tragic management of Attiki Odos? While the CEO of the company stressed on Tuesday night that "as the head of an entire mechanism I feel the need to facilitate the company and submit my resignation."
It is understandable that the company is trying to defend its interests in view of possible legal claims and the imposition of administrative sanctions. Our obligation is to defend the public interest.
Source: iefimerida.gr
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