Differences between the country’s three most important research institutions reach the prime minister. Because his decision Ministry of Shipping outsource directly (via software contract) Institute of Technology and Research (ITE) supply and operation extreme weather monitoring systemwith a budget of 30 million euros. National Observatory of Athens (EAA) and Hellenic Center for Marine Research (ELKETHE) they complain about being left out even though they are much closer to the subject than the ITE in research and operational terms. They leave it clear that the decision was made with political rather than scientific criteria. For its part, ITE claims to be the largest research body in the country, also having a rich research project in this area.

The contract for programming was signed in September last year. Its object is program “TALOS”which concerns the implementation and operational operation within five years of a weather monitoring system with advanced technology, with the aim of predicting extreme weather conditions for the safety of navigation. The issue was initially raised by the workers’ associations ELKETHE and EAA and reached Parliament in an investigation. A few days ago, both institutions sent letters to the Prime Minister asking him to intervene and cancel the award.

“The topic of forecasting extreme weather events is the research area and operational service of the EAA METEO division, which also uses the meteo.gr system for weather monitoring and forecasting with recognized scientific, technical and technological competence. Further, thanks to the large funding of the NOA-Aegis / Pangea program from the Recovery Fund, the corresponding large-scale equipment will be purchased by the EAA, ”the observatory said in a letter. “Prediction of extreme weather conditions in the Greek seas is an area of ​​research and operational service of the neighboring research center ELKETHE, which operates the Poseidon system (poseidon.hcmr.gr) and participates in the European maritime service Copernicus.” “ITE’s acceptance of such an important role is surprising, as it is completely inconsistent with its research activities, arbitrarily rearranging the research map of the country, while jeopardizing the implementation and funding of TALOS, since ITE does not have any experience and knowledge in the installation, operation and maintenance of the respective operating systems,” the letter from ELKETHE says.

For its part, ITE, in a statement it released, implicitly but clearly states that the two institutions have systems based not on observations, but on mathematical models, since “there are currently no systems for monitoring extreme weather in maritime space.” . He appreciates being chosen as “the nation’s leading research institute.”