The shore of the island Zuokas intends to purchase, photo by A.Tamulienė | 15min.lt
Mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas announced a proposal to purchase several islands from the Greek government. According to the Mayor, small uninhabited islands that are owned by the Balcan State cost no more than five million dollars each, bnn-news.com reports.
Zuokas also allows that these islands could cost the Lithuanian state even less, LNK Žinios writes. The Mayor plans to build business centres and tourist areas on these islands.
Experts mention EU’s support as one of the advantages of Lithuania’s territorial growth. These islands are located within this supranational foundation. Therefore, Brussels will be forced to aid their development.
Currently, there is no agreement among Greek politicians on the “territorial bargain” issue. Several days earlier, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras announced that the separation of these islands is possible with the compliance of several conditions. However, the politician’s words were then refuted by the government’s press-service. The topic of selling the islands is not popular among Greece’s citizens.
As it is well known by now, Greece is one of the countries that suffered more than most from the global financial crisis. The quality of life on the country has dropped by 35% since 2008. In the event if Athens is also forced to leave the Eurozone, average income per capita will drop by an additional 70%.
Zuokas’ proposal to purchase land from Greece has already been declared earlier this year, on 7 October at a business conference “Versli Lietuva”.
Also I was reading about China and Japan’s dispute over some uninhabited islands and I feel that Greece will feel the same way China does, that the land of the country is sacred especially with all of Greece’s islands and their sea traditions, but with that being said I would 100% support it and hope it happens because there is not a lot of land, if any that is still up for grabs and available, also like I said it opens up a lot of opportunities for the country, if ofcourse it would be their territory.
As the mayor’s personal island i could care less, but Lithuania’s territory, that’s great, maybe its just my American mind but an excuse to have a Lithuanian naval base or hold naval exercises with new different contries in the mediteranean sea sounds good to me, also a lot of wars have been fought over gaining territory and the more land you have the more potential for being a “world player” you have.
Someone to explain to Zuokas that Greece is selling land same way like other countries. Land still belongs to Greek Authority, is under Greek sovereignty and if those kinda “islands” was something so special except big rocks in our sea, the price would be out of his range.
Any investment is welcome, just the ambitious Zuokas not to have great expectations for his idea.
The cost of creating there a resort center is outrageous and nobody will show any real interest for this when in few miles around, someone could visit beautiful places in one of many famous islands, being there alive and kicking for thousands of years.
Finally Zuokas will take his sun lotion and will spend his time and money on a Greek beach, as a common tourist like million others who are visiting Greece every summer ( and autumn, and winter, and spring too ).
As an investment, provided the transport infrastructure is in place, a sound investment. Ironically the purchase would be financed by the banks. These are the same banks whose interest rates are screwing Greek taxpayers for every cent and making their plight come to this. Greece is proof that you can get blood out of a stone. How sad this vortex of death.
Amazing that Romania’s Ceausescu met his hideous end, undoubtedly much deserved, whilst the bankers will no doubt get free passes to the mayor’s new resorts. It’s a strange world we now live in.