PAWS - Paros Animal Welfare Society
10 April at 05:47 ·
FOR THE SAKE OF THE TRUTH AND CLARITY
We wish to inform all our followers and friends on the following:
1. The municipality still owes to PAWS €36,000 under the contract signed back in November 2023, for shelter and other related services, that have been delivered promptly and consistently, as confirmed by their competent services.
2. The contract signed with the Vet Clinic recently, concerns exclusively vet treatments to stray animals (sterilizations, vaccinations, chipping, deworming, therapies etc).
Consequently, the Municipality does not provide any financial support to PAWS for shelter services offered to them for 100 stray animals in the shelter: rescuing, fostering, feeding, medical treatment and medication outside the municipal vet Program, daily care and attention until their final rehoming; including also transport costs inside/outside the island and other fixed operating costs ( electricity and water, cleaning and maintenance, wages and stipends, fuel costs etc).
To be noted also, that the municipal vet program has only just come into force and was not in operation at the time of the unpaid municipal contract with PAWS! Evidently, during the time of the contract, PAWS was liable for all medical expenses in the shelter.
The above mentioned services, although by law form obligations of the Municipality, they have never been respected so far.
With regard to our long overdue contract which, according to the Mayor, “cannot be paid because it’s illegal” this is not true!
The contract was made in November 2023 by the responsible municipal department, checked by their lawyer and approved a) by their Economic Committee and b) unanimously by their Municipal Board!
Moreover, on 19/03/2025, the Legal Counsel of the Municipality Mr K. Fiflis ( President of the Cyclades Legal Association) issued a formal Legal Opinion to the Mayor, confirming the legitimacy and validity of our Contract. Following which, the Municipality could and should pay PAWS immediately!
In other words, the Municipality, instead of conforming with their lawyer’s legal opinion and pay, for some unknown reasons, they prefer not to! Using still as an “excuse”, the wrong(!) unsubstantiated arguments presented by their financial services in June 2024, which have been totally rejected by their lawyer!
Moreover, the Mayor, although by law is authorized to overrule the financial services and pay, he refuses to assume such responsibility! Instead, he’s sending letters to the Ministers and public authorities, including the Court of Auditors, asking for their opinion; although he should know that he shouldn’t expect any reply from them, since by law HE has the entire responsibility for the administration of the stray animals on the island!
As a conclusion, under his own responsibility, he puts into risk the lives and health of 100 stray animals currently in the shelter, by driving the best ever and fully legitimate private shelter in the country and the only one on Paros, into a permanent shut down!.. Without considering of course, the negative implications that such an action may have on the citizens and the environment of Paros, in terms of hygienic and safety protection and, the bad effects on the tourism of the island as a whole!