Two meetings on the issue of Samothrace's ferry service at the Maximos mansion on Monday

Two meetings will be held on Monday at the Maximos mansion on the island of Samothrace's ferry service. Both meetings will be chaired by State Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis.

The first meeting is scheduled for 13:00 with the participation of Shipping and Island Policy Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis, Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis, Infrastructures and Transport Minister Costas Karamanlis, Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos, Deputy director to the prime minister for coordination of the government Akis Skertsos, Deputy director to the prime minister and government spokesman Stelios Petsas and regional governor of Macedonia and Thrace Christos Metios.

The second meeting will take place at 17:00 with the participation of the local agencies, the general secretary of the prime minister Grigoris Dimitriadis, Deputy director to the prime minister for coordination of the government Akis Skertsos, Deputy director to the prime minister and government spokesman Stelios Petsas and regional governor of Macedonia and Thrace Christos Metios, members of parliament elected in the region of Evros, outgoing mayor of Samothrace Athanassios Vitsas and the new mayor of the Samothrace Nikolaos Galatoumos.

Over 1,500 tourists among a greater total stranded for over a week after an island ferry broke down left Samothrace, after businesses and the mayor rallied to take care of the visitors.

The issue of the "Saos" and "Saonissos" ferries, both out for repairs indefinitely, has been resolved temporarily but is a long-standing one, having occurred again earlier in the year.

Accusing the previous government of negligence, the sources said that the seabed at the port is also in immediate need of dredging from the accumulated debris and silting, to prevent ships running aground.