Country Greece Local time Thursday 6:31 AM Administrative region Crete | Time zone EET (UTC+2) Municipality Heraklion Regional unit Heraklion | |
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Weather 10°C, Wind S at 10 km/h, 99% Humidity | ||
Nea Alikarnassos (Greek: Νέα Αλικαρνασσός, meaning New Halicarnassus) is a town and a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Heraklion, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 16.098 km2. Population 14,635 (2011). It is located on the north coast of the island and is served by the Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport. In the settlement of Prassas, the Minoan ruins of two houses were found.
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Map of Nea Alikarnassos, Greece
Nea Alikarnassos was founded in 1925 as a public housing development to accommodate the refugees, who were displaced following the Greco-Turkish War.
Politics
The elections reveal a domination of the left wing. In the general elections of 2007 the distribution percentage of representatives were as follows: Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) 52.85% (2004: 54,54%), the conservative New Democracy 31,22% (2004: 33.84%), the Communist Party of Greece 8.97% (2004: 8.00%), the left Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) 3.15% (2004: 2.14%), the right Popular Orthodox Rally 1.61% (2004: 1.07%) and the Green Party 1.19%.
Evangelos Sisamakis (PASOK) was first elected mayor in 2003 and was reelected in 2006 with 63% of the votes in the first round.
Major problems and conflicts have been caused with gypsies and there are over 500 Roma peoples living in poverty stricken conditions in Nea Alikarnassos. They are engaged primarily in migrant trade such as furniture, clothing and vegetables. Their camps lacks infrastructure, electricity, and the sewage system and water supply is imperfect.
Sports
The town of Nea Alikarnassos hosts the Greek football club P.A.S.A. Irodotos F.C., founded in 1932, with presence in Greek Football League 2 (Gamma Ethniki).