Thessaloniki: ‘Windows of opportunity’

The new mayor of Thessaloniki, Stelios Angeloudis, has quietly started his term without fanfare or grand declarations. So far, he has skillfully avoided the common but misguided approach of dismantling the work of his predecessor - an easy trap for those lacking a clear plan and vision. Although it's still early and there haven't been any standout achievements yet, the feedback on his performance has been overwhelmingly positive. Angeloudis is working to bring order to the city's services - a challenge that Yiannis Boutaris once described as the most difficult task - and Thessaloniki, as most people would admit, has already seen a noticeable improvement in cleanliness.

Yet, for a city like Thessaloniki, organizing services and cleaning the streets, while essential, are not enough on their own. The city needs to regain its outward focus. The ongoing transformations in the...