Press release
Athens, 12 September 2022
ERGOSE transplanted an over a century – old olive tree in the “heart” of the TIF
Thessaloniki, 12 September 2022. A very old olive tree, more than 400 years old, now adorns the “heart” of the Thessaloniki International Fair. Inaugurating its presence at the 86η Thessaloniki International Fair, ERGOSE S.A. proceeded with the transplantation of an over a century old olive tree at the HELEXPO premises.
The transplanting took place in the framework of the innovative environmental program designed and implemented by ERGOSE for the rescue and replanting of old olive trees, which come from expropriated land for the construction of railway projects.
Specifically, the old olive tree, coming from an area of the prefecture of Achaia, where ERGOSE railway projects are being constructed, was moved and transplanted to a central point in the HELEXPO exhibition area, in a symbolic move in the context of the 86ης TIF, which highlights not only the environmental sensitivity of the company, but also the effort for the preservation of our natural and cultural heritage.
The transplantation of the impressive tree was held in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for infrastructure Mr. George Karagiannis, the Secretary General of Transport Mr. Yannis Xifaras and the President & CEO of ERGOSE Mr. Christos Vinis, and is a continuation of the company’s environmental action for the protection and promotion of this valuable plant capital.
With this initiative of ERGOSE, which enjoys the full support of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the financial assistance of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, through the Green Fund, more than 850 olive trees have been transplanted to date – 10% of which are over 400 years old – in more than 60 Municipalities and Public Organizations.
Since 2020, this action has been financed by the Green Fund, resulting in the last two years in the transplantation of around 470 olive trees (10% of which are over-aged), while it is estimated that by 2024 the total number will be well over 1,000.
The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Mr. George Karagiannis made the following statement:
“At the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport we are implementing projects that are citizen-centred and focus on creating a better tomorrow. It is therefore clear that environmental protection and sustainable development are at the core of our initiatives.
ERGOSE’s corporate social responsibility program is highly valuable and innovative. The transplanting of olive trees from land expropriated for railway projects is an important and meaningful initiative.
To date, about 850 olive trees have been saved, some of them more than 300 years old, as they have been transplanted throughout Greece, in more than 60 municipalities and public institutions. In the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport we supported this initiative and with the assistance of the Ministry of Environment and Energy through the Green Fund, we created a suitable mechanism to carry out this difficult and demanding task.
We had the opportunity to see one of these dozens of transplanting actions at the 86th TIF.
The work being done is great and sends a clear message that no tree will be lost wherever the environmentally friendly train passes through.”
Referring to ERGOSE’s environmental action, the President & CEO of the company Mr. Christos Vinis noted among other things that “ERGOSE demonstrates a sense of responsibility towards the environment, society and people, and therefore has designed and implements on its own initiative an innovative program of replanting olive trees from areas used for railway projects. The olive tree, as part of the Greek tradition, has always symbolized peace, hope and resilience, values that are timeless and of particular importance in the current circumstances. It is important to bring the environment into the equation, as it is a prerequisite for sustainable development, the challenge of today’s world”.
A few words about the ERGOSE initiative:
ERGOSE has developed on its own initiative an innovative environmental action, which is part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and is being carried out for the first time in Greece by a public company.
Its purpose is to save, through transplanting, the olive trees that are expropriated as imminent land required for the development of the new railway projects.
The official launch of the action was 9 years ago, while in 2020 the management under Christos Vinis secured funding from the Green Fund.
The usual practice until then was the uncontrolled cutting and conversion of olive trees into firewood. Their management and utilization through their free disposal for replanting to municipalities and public bodies was a challenge for ERGOSE, which aspires to ensure that not a single olive tree is lost in the areas where it implements railway projects.
The owners of the olive trees are compensated on the basis of the court decisions issued and therefore they are then an asset of the State.
Olive trees now adorn central public spaces chosen by their hosts, enhancing the quality of life of citizens and conveying an important environmental message to new generations.
For more information you can contact the following contact details:
Tel: 210 5283 492
Email: info@ergose.gr
About ERGOSE:
ERGOSE S.A. was established in 1996 as a subsidiary of OSE and belongs to the public utilities. The company’s mission is to complete a modern railway network that will constitute an important development pillar for the Greek economy and society, contributing to the safety and speed of transport of people, goods and freight. In this context, ERGOSE S.A. currently manages the modernization projects of the railway lines and facilities of OSE co-financed by the Operational Programmes of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2014-2020 from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020 as well as projects with purely national funding that are necessary to complete the investments of the co-financed programmes. The company currently employs more than 200 experienced and highly qualified staff, while it has been providing its services for more than two decades, responding effectively and reliably to the implementation of projects through its excellent organization, structure and systems.
