Palaio Faliro's Record Breaking Mayor

The mayor of Palaio Faliro, Dionysis Hatzidakis seems not to have real opponents in his race as he managed to win the bout for a fourth consecutive term. In fact many speak of a political phenomenon as he is elected from the very first round since 2006.

He first put in a bid for mayor in 1998 and getting 48% became the municipality's main opposition. By 2002, he had become so popular that he managed to become elected in 2002 with 55% of the vote in the second round.

In 2006, he won with 52% from the first round. In 2010, he got 61.5% in the first round, one of the highest percentages nationwide. Yesterday, he got an astounding 65.88%, in yet another record breaking performance.

Dionysis Hatzidakis is a veteran athlete in the 400m race, a record holder, and a national champion. He entered the Naval Academy in 1965, and served in the Hellenic Navy for 27 years. He commanded three ships, the minelayer AMVRAKIA, the LST IKARIA, and the destroyer AETOS.

He was adjutant to two defense ministers, and in 1991-1994 he was Greek Naval Attache to Paris, where he spearheaded the re-negotiation for the Mirage fighters, the retention of UNIFCYP forces on Cyprus, and the placement of EXOCET SSMs on Cyprus.

Starting in 1994 and for nine years he headed the political office of former PM Kostantinos Mitsotakis.

In December 2012, he was selected from among 350 European elected officials among the six best mayors and was named LOCAL LEADER OF THE YEAR by the EU Peripheru Commission.

He is married to Lena Hatzidaki and has a daughter, Christiana Hatzidaki.