Greece in the Presidency of the European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures

For the first time in the 45-year history of the European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures, this important supranational organization, known as ASECAP, a Greek was elected President. At the Annual General Assembly of the Association, held on 6 June 2018 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the ASECAP Presidency for 2018-2019 was assigned to Mr. Bill Halkias.

ASECAP was founded in 1973 by 7 original members, including the then National Road Fund representing Greece, along with its counterparts in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Norway. ASECAP is the Association of Toll Roads in Europe and currently has 23 members, which together have more than 50,000 km of highways, with each member representing a single country.

In ASECAP, which is based in Brussels, after the end of the activity of the National Road Fund, Greece is represented by the non-profit organization “Greek infrastructure and toll roads” known as “HELLASTRON” (HELLENIC ASSOCIATION of TOLL ROAD NETWORK), which was established in 2014 and which includes all Greek motorways (Attiki Odos, Rion Antirion Bridge, Egnatia Motorway, Nea Odos Motorway, Moreas Motorway, Aegean Motorway, Olympia Odos Motorway and Central Greece Motorway). HELLASTRON also participates in the International Association of Motorways known as “IBTTA” (International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association), which is based in Washington, DC, with members from 26 countries in 6 continents, with Mr. Halkias being a member of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Halkias is the President of HELLASTRON and the Managing Director of “ATTIKES DIADROMES S.A.”, the operation company of Attiki Odos, the first motorway operation company in Greece. HELLASTRON represents all the modern Greek motorways and toll infrastructure that, upon completion of the major road projects, have created and operate a modern and safe 2,133 km network that offers comfortable and fast access to every part of mainland Greece, facilitating economic growth and employing in permanent job positions 4,000 employees that work on a 24-hour basis, 365 days a year and maintain the high level of Greek motorways, while serving thousands of users on a daily basis.

The election of Mr. Halkias as ASECAP President honors our country and HELLASTRON, making the Hellenic association a key player in Europe, with the Greeks participating in a number of Technical Committees and leading, with their high professional and scientific training, many areas. At the same time, it reflects the pioneering and high-level professional work that has been and is being done today in Greece in the field of motorway operations.

At the General Assembly of ASECAP, HELLASTRON was represented by its President Mr. Bill Halkias, the General Secretary Mr. Panagiotis Papanikolas, President and CEO of “Gefyra S.A.” and CEO of “Olympia Odos S.A.” and the Second Vice-President Mr. Emmanouil Vrailas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of “Nea Odos A.E.” and “Kentriki Odos S.A.”. In the Technical Committees, HELLASTRON was represented by Committee Chairs, Messrs. Konstantinos Papandreou, Managing Director of “Olympia Odos Operation S.A.”, Evangelos Kareklas, Traffic Planning Director of “Nea Odos S.A.” and Aristophanis Papadimitriou, Director of Traffic and Maintenance of “Attikes Diadromes S.A.”

The Greek presence in Slovenia was supported by executives of all Concession companies and of Egnatia Motorway, as well as by public sector executives, headed by the Secretary General of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport Mr. Georgios Dedes. “Egnatia Odos S.A.” was represented by its President Mr. Apostolos Antonoudis and the Executive Director Mr. Georgios Kolliopoulos, “Nea Odos S.A.” and “Kentriki Odos S.A.” by the General Executive Director Mr. Stylianos Pentheroudakis, “Aegean Motorway S.A.” by the General Executive Director Mr. Dimitrios Gatsonis and the Operations Manager Mr. Dimitrios Mandalozis and “Moreas S.A.” by the Deputy Operations Manager Mr. Stylianos Kazakos. The next Annual ASECAP Congress for 2019 was decided to be organized in Greece.