Two weeks after the closure of the Municipality of Symi and the symbolic handing of the keys to the Ministry of Mercantile Marine by the Mayor of Symi (as a way of protest over the lack of a direct ferry connection with Pireus), the Government has today "responded" via the Ministry's General Secretary, Mr Yiannis Tzoannos, who was the one to meet with the Mayor back in June and receive the keys to the Municipality.

Mr Tzoannos, sent an official letter to the General Secretary of the South Aegean Perfecture (a Government appointed post), Mr Haralambos Kokkinos in which he addresses Mr Kokkinos in the singular (as if it were a personal communication), includes no official introduction about the issue (which is current practice in official communication between Government Departments) and simply says that he "sends the Municipality keys to him" given that the Municipality of Symi "is under his jurisdiction" without any further comment.

Today, all major local papers in Rhodes have come out with front-page articles criticising the Ministry for "ridiculing the people of Symi". In a statement issued to the "Proodos" newspaper, the Mayor of Symi, Mr. Lefteris Papakalodoukas, said that "Mr Tzoanos tries to ridicule the decisions of the Symi Council and to belittle the attempts to find a way forward for the direct connection between Symi and Pireus. Mr Papakalodoukas went on to say that the style of the letter is totally provocative for the people of Symi and accused the Prime Minister for not having the courage to dismiss an "inexistent" Minister who "lacks decisiveness and can't cope with his obligations".

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