Corfu Nursery Closure: Parents Allege Premeditated Actions and Systemic Mismanagement
A public outcry has erupted in Corfu following the abrupt and indefinite closure of the Marmaro Nursery. Parents, representing dozens of families in the former Parelia and Palaiokastritsa Municipalities, have submitted a scathing complaint to the media, accusing the Sy.Koi.Pa of Corfu of an unacceptable, opaque, and deeply offensive decision.
The sudden announcement, made during the holiday season without offering solutions, foresight, or any provision for affected families, is being perceived as a clear abandonment of children, families, and the island’s peripheral regions.
1. Renovation in an “Unsuitable” Building – A Complete Administrative Deadlock
The controversy began when the nursery, undergoing renovation under the ESPA program, was suddenly deemed “unsuitable.” This raises critical questions:
- How does an ESPA project commence in a building considered dangerous?
- Who conducted (or failed to conduct) the necessary inspections?
- Who certified the building as functional until recently?
- Who is behind this “sudden” unsuitability?
The logical conclusion, according to the parents, is that these events were premeditated.
2. The Closure Was Planned – And There Is Evidence
This isn’t merely suspicion; it’s based on documented evidence. On December 2, 2025, a document (Ref. No. 43487) was sent to Sy.Koi.Pa and its president, Mr. Nerantzis. Miraculously, shortly after this document, “problems,” “hazards,” and “cost impasses” emerged, leading to the nursery’s closure. Parents assert that the entire process was orchestrated, planned, and predetermined, making it difficult for them to believe official explanations.
3. ESPA Mismanagement – Solutions Existed, But Were Ignored
As a body managing an ESPA program for nursery harmonization, Sy.Koi.Pa had options when “serious problems” allegedly arose. They could have:
- Modified the scope of work.
- Reallocated the €50,000 budget.
- Delegated secondary tasks (e.g., painting, tiling) to daily services.
- Completed critical interventions with available funds.
However, none of these actions were taken. Parents believe the goal was not to maintain functionality but to close the nursery. The argument that “few children attend” is dismissed as a pretext, especially given that attendance in Sgourades, for example, increased from 5 to 12 children, discrediting the “few children” rationale as a cover for political decisions leading to rural abandonment.
4. Targeting the Countryside – Deliberate Abandonment
The Marmaro Nursery serves two entire areas: Parelia and Palaiokastritsa. Yet, during a Municipal Council meeting, it was stated that “there is no other nursery in the former Municipality of Parelia, and a new one must be created in Agios Ioannis.” This raises questions about whether the Marmaro nursery was intentionally overlooked or, worse, slated for disappearance. The rapid succession of “problems,” work stoppages, decisions, and ready-made “solutions” for Sgourades and Garitsa leads to one conclusion: nothing was accidental; everything was prearranged. As a parent aptly put it, “Keep the hay for your animals, not for the families of the villages.”
5. Uprooted Children – Desperate Parents
Within a single day, children have been deprived of their school environment, lost friends, and had their daily routines disrupted. Parents are now forced to travel kilometers daily without any provision for transportation. The proposed “solution” of Sgourades or Garitsa is deemed humiliating for working families residing in these villages.
We Demand:
- Immediate revocation of the decision to suspend operations.
- Public disclosure of document Ref. No. 43487/02-12-2025 and all related ESPA documents.
- A complete technical file and suitability report.
- A clear and binding plan for restoration and reopening.
- Creation of a temporary facility within Parelia and Palaiokastritsa.
- FREE transportation for children until a permanent solution is found.
- Accountability for the manipulation, misleading information, and degradation of the area.
The Marmaro Nursery will not become another victim of indifference. Our villages will not be deserted. Our families will not be silenced.
Meanwhile, traffic on Agios Ioannis Peristeron in South Corfu continues to operate on an alternating basis.
Source: https://corfutvnews.gr/katangelia-gonea-gia-to-kleisimo-tou-paidikou-stathmou-sto-marmaro/
