Thessaloniki Tackles Greeceâs Problems in Miniature
Boutaris
But no matter who wins the national election  few believe that Greece can go on without a major overhaul of its government. In Thessaloniki   Mr. Boutaris  has been trying to do that on a local scale for 18 months  bringing  his  experience as a businessman to bear on the bloated work force  the tangled regulations and the huge debt that afflicts the city  much as it does the country.
Many of  his  efforts have prompted city workers to strike and protest. But  he  is undeterred. Nor does  he  have any patience for the shop owners who have ignored  his  efforts to clean up the look of this gracious but somewhat shabby city by enforcing rules about modest signage.
âThere was one guy who said to me  he  wants Thessaloniki to be like Hong Kong â  Mr. Boutaris  said with a shake of  his  head and an expletive. âWell  I said  âI donât want to be like Hong Kong. You think your business will be destroyed because you donât have a sign on the fifth floor? I donât think so.â â
Thessaloniki was about $126 million in debt when  Mr. Boutaris  a successful winemaker   was sworn into office. ( His  predecessor has since been indicted  along with 17 others. They are accused of stealing almost $38 million.) The city was doing a poor job of delivering basic services  most importantly in garbage collection. It was losing manufacturing jobs to Bulgaria. And as far as  Mr. Boutaris  was concerned  Thessaloniki was far from meeting its potential as a tourist attraction and a port city that offers easy access to the Balkans.
 Mr. Boutaris  has hardly solved all the issues. But  he  is already widely credited with increasing tourism  which  he  sees as a way of generating revenues without the need for expensive investment. Brushing aside centuries of tense relations with Turkey   Mr. Boutaris  set off to Istanbul to initiate a campaign to attract tourists.
Shortly afterward  Turkish Airlines resumed flights here  and the number of Turks visiting the city â the birthplace of Turkeyâs first president  Mustafa Kemal Ataturk â doubled last year.  Mr. Boutaris  has also reached out to Israel because the Thessaloniki region  with a population of about one million  once had a large Jewish population. Cruise ships now stop here more frequently.
At the same time   Mr. Boutaris  has taken measures large and small to rein in the budget.  He  hired an auditor to get to the bottom of the cityâs finances  which until recently still involved cash transactions into city pension funds. (Employees were handed stacks of bills and told to make deposits. This is said to have played a large roll in the indictments.)  He  has forced workers to account for their overtime  started a recycling program and traded in  his  limousine for an economy model. So far   Mr. Boutaris  has reduced costs by 30 percent.
âWhat I am trying to do is to open all fronts and create a huge turbulence â  Mr. Boutaris  said. âWhen you propose the slightest change  people say no. If you do it all at once  it is a different thing. Something has to break through.â
âAnd you cannot step back â  he  added. âIf you step back  you lose.â
 Mr. Boutaris  is a rarity in Greece  where most people who seek higher office are career politicians.  He  won election by just 300 votes.  He  is unusually candid  by Greek standards  about  himself .  He  has admitted to being an alcoholic and no longer drinks. And  he  was divorced for seven years and then remarried  his  wife.
Residents here talk about how approachable  he  is compared with the usual politician.  He  rides a bicycle around town and sits in cafes like everyone else  debating the cityâs problems. In fact   Mr. Boutaris  denies  he  is a politician.  He  says running the city is just a project  something to keep  him  busy now that  he  has turned  his  wine business over to  his  three children.
âMy wife said  âYou need to find something else to do â â  Mr. Boutaris  says of  his  decision to go into politics.
 HE  initially joined the Communist Party  but soon resigned.  He  considers  himself  a socialist  but belongs to no party.  His  goal   he  said  is to make Thessaloniki a place where businesses can flourish. But  he  is not happy with the local merchants. The small shopkeepers   he  said  do not want to pay taxes and complain that the malls are undercutting their business.
 Mr. Boutaris  says they must stay open later to compete with the malls  which are open until 9 p.m. But the shop owners are not interested. Another expletive.
Before taking office   Mr. Boutaris  was known for  his  winery and for establishing a preserve to protect bears and wolves.  He  says  his  intent was to preserve the forest  but the bears were an easier selling point. âEverybody likes bears â  he  said. âThe forest would have been harder.â
The garbage trucks are also a problem. More than half are out for repairs at any given time. So  Mr. Boutaris  has decided to contract the maintenance to a private company. City workers promptly went on strike  fearing further privatization. âIt will be settled soon â  he  said. âIâm 70 years old  and I believe I know what I am doing.â
But no matter who wins the national election  few believe that Greece can go on without a major overhaul of its government. In Thessaloniki    [TGT] has been trying to do that on a local scale for 18 months  bringing   [TGT]   experience as a businessman to bear on the bloated work force  the tangled regulations and the huge debt that afflicts the city  much as it does the country.
Many of  his  efforts have prompted city workers to strike and protest. But  he  is undeterred. Nor does  he  have any patience for the shop owners who have ignored  his  efforts to clean up the look of this gracious but somewhat shabby city by enforcing rules about modest signage.
âThere was one guy who said to me  he  wants Thessaloniki to be like Hong Kong â   [TGT] said with a shake of   [TGT]   head and an expletive. âWell  I said  âI donât want to be like Hong Kong. You think your business will be destroyed because you donât have a sign on the fifth floor? I donât think so.â â
Thessaloniki was about $126 million in debt when   [TGT] was sworn into office. (  [TGT]   predecessor has since been indicted  along with 17 others. They are accused of stealing almost $38 million.) The city was doing a poor job of delivering basic services  most importantly in garbage collection. It was losing manufacturing jobs to Bulgaria. And as far as   [TGT] was concerned  Thessaloniki was far from meeting its potential as a tourist attraction and a port city that offers easy access to the Balkans.
  [TGT] has hardly solved all the issues. But   [TGT]   is already widely credited with increasing tourism  which   [TGT]   sees as a way of generating revenues without the need for expensive investment. Brushing aside centuries of tense relations with Turkey    [TGT] set off to Istanbul to initiate a campaign to attract tourists.
Shortly afterward  Turkish Airlines resumed flights here  and the number of Turks visiting the city â the birthplace of Turkeyâs first president  Mustafa Kemal Ataturk â doubled last year.   [TGT] has also reached out to Israel because the Thessaloniki region  with a population of about one million  once had a large Jewish population. Cruise ships now stop here more frequently.
At the same time    [TGT] has taken measures large and small to rein in the budget.   [TGT]   hired an auditor to get to the bottom of the cityâs finances  which until recently still involved cash transactions into city pension funds. (Employees were handed stacks of bills and told to make deposits. This is said to have played a large roll in the indictments.)   [TGT]   has forced workers to account for their overtime  started a recycling program and traded in   [TGT]   limousine for an economy model. So far    [TGT] has reduced costs by 30 percent.
âWhat I am trying to do is to open all fronts and create a huge turbulence â   [TGT] said. âWhen you propose the slightest change  people say no. If you do it all at once  it is a different thing. Something has to break through.â
âAnd you cannot step back â  he  added. âIf you step back  you lose.â
  [TGT] is a rarity in Greece  where most people who seek higher office are career politicians.   [TGT]   won election by just 300 votes.   [TGT]   is unusually candid  by Greek standards  about   [TGT]  .   [TGT]   has admitted to being an alcoholic and no longer drinks. And   [TGT]   was divorced for seven years and then remarried  his  wife.
Residents here talk about how approachable   [TGT]   is compared with the usual politician.   [TGT]   rides a bicycle around town and sits in cafes like everyone else  debating the cityâs problems. In fact    [TGT] denies   [TGT]   is a politician.   [TGT]   says running the city is just a project  something to keep   [TGT]   busy now that   [TGT]   has turned   [TGT]   wine business over to   [TGT]   three children.
âMy wife said  âYou need to find something else to do â â   [TGT] says of   [TGT]   decision to go into politics.
  [TGT]   initially joined the Communist Party  but soon resigned.   [TGT]   considers   [TGT]   a socialist  but belongs to no party.   [TGT]   goal    [TGT]   said  is to make Thessaloniki a place where businesses can flourish. But   [TGT]   is not happy with the local merchants. The small shopkeepers    [TGT]   said  do not want to pay taxes and complain that the malls are undercutting their business.
  [TGT] says they must stay open later to compete with the malls  which are open until 9 p.m. But the shop owners are not interested. Another expletive.
Before taking office    [TGT] was known for   [TGT]   winery and for establishing a preserve to protect bears and wolves.  He  says  his  intent was to preserve the forest  but the bears were an easier selling point. âEverybody likes bears â  he  said. âThe forest would have been harder.â
The garbage trucks are also a problem. More than half are out for repairs at any given time. So   [TGT] has decided to contract the maintenance to a private company. City workers promptly went on strike  fearing further privatization. âIt will be settled soon â  he  said. âIâm 70 years old  and I believe I know what I am doing.â