The Municipality of Agios Vasilios is moving forward with a new social policy initiative, refurbishing former community shops and municipal buildings located in small settlements and making them available for the operation of traditional cafés at minimal cost. The initiative primarily targets settlements with a population of fewer than 200 inhabitants, where the presence of a café is a fundamental part of daily social life. As part of this initiative, suitable premises have already been made available in the settlements of Kissos, Aktounda, Drimiskos and Saktouria, where municipal buildings are being used as traditional cafés, once again providing residents with a place to meet and socialise.
According to an announcement by the Municipality of Agios Vasilios: “The traditional coffee shop in small settlements has long been at the heart of social life, a place for meeting, communication and the exchange of views that strengthens social cohesion and keeps the daily life of local communities alive. Given the importance of this institution to the life of small villages, the Municipality of Agios Vasilios has begun implementing a new social policy initiative, which combines the preservation of traditional coffee shops with the creation of local employment opportunities.”.
”Through this specific policy, the Municipality enables residents to set up their own businesses and settle in small villages, whilst strengthening the local economy and helping to keep rural communities alive.”
The Mayor of Agios Vasilios, Yiannis Tatarakis, stated in this regard: “For us in the Municipality of Agios Vasilios, the traditional coffee shop is not just a place of business. It is a focal point for every village, the place where people meet, discuss matters and keep the social cohesion of the local community alive. Through this specific initiative, we are repurposing former community shops and municipal buildings, which we renovate and make available at minimal cost to people wishing to set up their own businesses in the small settlements of our municipality, particularly in villages with fewer than 200 inhabitants. Our aim is twofold: to create employment opportunities and, at the same time, to keep our villages alive. The coffee shop has always been at the heart of social life in Greek villages, and we want to ensure that this heart continues to beat in every small settlement within the Municipality of Agios Vasilios.”
Source: rethnea.gr