A quick glance at the economic figures for the islands of the Dodecanese - GDP, population, unemployment, productivity and capital investment - confirms one of the recurring problems of the archipelago, namely that for decades this area has been lagging behind mainland Greece in terms of development. The islands' deficiencies are structural in nature, primarily a lack of large-scale infrastructure and services.
To counter these structural deficiencies, the infrastructure of the Island of the Dodecanese needed to be improved.

Two projects were deemed essential:

The refitting work at Kos airport was completed in 1997 in record time, enabling the airport to be reopened for the tourist season. The terminal was extended and some 35 000 m2 of new landing runway built, doubling the airport's capacity. In addition, the take-off runway was lengthened by 2 400 metres and three new passenger buses acquired.

More recently, in 2000, the general hospital in Rhodes was opened. With a surface area approaching 42 000 m2 and 330 beds, this is the biggest hospital in the Dodecanese. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the hospital contains three major departments (laboratories, a surgical unit and wards) and around a dozen specialised services. It also offers outpatient services and physiotherapy care.

Total cost:

Airport: 1.5 million euros
Hospital: 29 million euros

EU contribution (ERDF):

Airport: 1.12 million euros
Hospital: 22.2 million euros

Dodecanese regional authority technical service
Kostas Politis, tel. +30 2280 179040

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Urban Policy