Vikos Paths 26-28.10.2014, «Vitsiko – Κoukouli, The principle of subsidiarity»
Going down from Vitsiko to Voidomatis springs and then by crossing the whole Vikos gorge to reach Koukouli going further up Monodendri and Vitsa stairs, is estimated to 20 km. From Sunday 26 till Tuesday 28 October 2014 Vikos Paths took place - the theme of the gathering was subsidiarity on the occasion of the publication of Nicos Yannis book "The principle of subsidiarity, principle of freedom, participation and responsibility", a copy of which was given to all participants.
The weather was fine, we saw the snowy mountain peaks and more water in the river. Ilias and Kostas, our new friends, offered the good deed of the day, silently and without complaint: they carried for almost two hours and 6 km all the way two yellow buckets full of waste, heavy enough, leftovers of the mountain Marathon probably, into the river. With winter coming, floods of water would have transferred this garbage to Voidomatis and Aoos, two of the most clear waters in Europe. We truly hope this will not be necessary again as everyones consiousness grows, no matter if we are hikers or responsible for the organization.
The principle of subsidiarity, tricky indeed, does not apply only in the European Union but in every member state and every local community and every citizen in Europe. Its main point is that a citizen should not be deprived of the right to be able to do what he/she can do in his/her own abilities and therefore the community is to take over: the principle of subsidiarity indicates that decisions are to be taken, services are to be provided and money is to be spent as closer to the citizens as can be. It guarantees the open society, the individual and his/her freedom against any pressure forced by the centralized, intrusive, paternalistic and redistributive state.
It is a principle of individual and social emancipation while at the same time is an expression of the partial, coordinated and very careful devolution of freedom especially among collective entities in exchange to the protection and justice aimed at equality of opportunities. It is in the frame of federal states that subsidiarity is better perceived, on a who-does-what-basis. An important prerequisite of subsidiarity is to accept one’s freedom of choice and individual responsibility. When something is equally feasible by a smaller and simpler organization, it should not be assigned to a bigger and more complicated one. Subsidiarity means freedom, participation and responsibility.
