Parliament plenary ratifies Kastelli airport contract despite objections

All parties except the Communist Party and Golden Dawn voted for the proposal, which envisions a new airport to replace the current Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport in Iraklio with a larger and more modernised one that will be able to handle the increasing inflow of tourists.

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis committed to introducing a fairer regulation for professional farmers whose properties need to be expropriated, and said the state will participate with a 45 pct share in the project and a clause forbidding the share from dropping below 35 pct.

Main opposition New Democracy Deputy Christos Boukoros said the project is not this government's, as it was "announced during Giorgos Souflias's tenure as public works minister, was twice delayed by the Samaras government and seven times by the current government." ND, he said, will support the project in order to ensure all its facilities are finished in the coming five years.