Vassilis Vassileiadis

I am a farmer. I have fields and I work the land; that is what I do for a living. One day, we were informed that the pipeline would pass through our fields. They started with putting up signs on the fields. Everything was very organised and, more significantly, safe.

But the most important thing was that after the completion of the project, my fields were not left to the mercy of God. Meaning that there was none of the usual, i.e. the pipeline passing through and that’s it – bye bye from us.

The exact opposite has happened. Agronomists came from the University of Athens, took soil samples and analysed them. Then, they proposed cultivations that would make my fields fertile again after construction was complete. So, I learned about alternative crops and what’s needed to get the most out of my production. That's why in one field I replaced cotton with clover and in another field, I planted tomatoes instead of wheat, as it proved to be very fertile and suitable for that crop.

For me, the project may have ended and I’ve received my compensation, but it’s more than that. It has affected my way of life and has taught me so many new things.

Ultimately, when such a project is built in your area, it’s an upgrade and a definite improvement. You see how people work and it shows you the way forward; you say, "that’s how I must work, too." So, it’s good for such projects to happen all the time.