When retracting articles about natural areas and them Special Environmental Studies (ESS)as well as two limit settings traditional settlements and the “recognition” of the streets will continue Ministry of the Environment. The multi-bill that is being voted on today has been new amendments which relate, inter alia, to the suspension of unplanned development in Mykonos and seismic inspections of buildings.

According to government sources, the removal of specific articles – as well as the suspension of construction on Mykonos – was done with the intervention of the prime minister. Articles retracted:

• Removal of the obligation that EPMs end with a definition of land use (according to the explanatory note, this is “the exemption of protected areas from the general use of urban development”).

• They provide that existing activities remain as they are and those that have been licensed can be carried out regardless of whether they affect the integrity of the protected area.

• It has been made possible to divide the zones into which the protected area will be divided (eg absolute protection, nature protection zone) into “subzones”.

• They required the EPM researcher to take into account existing activities, functions that are inextricably linked to the urban or residential character of the area, specific spatial contexts, and “economic, social and cultural needs and regional and local characteristics”. All these factors are not related to the protection of species and habitats.

• Gave the right to the Minister of the Environment by his decision (instead of a presidential decree) to “correct” the boundaries of settlements. It was the arrangement that “photographed” the famous case in Papigo.

Regarding the new rules that were filed on Friday:

Suspension of construction in progress in Mykonos is among the added arrangements.

• The issuance of building permits in undeveloped areas of Mykonos has been suspended until the end of the year. Excludes issuance of small permits, large tourism investments (ESHASE) licensed two years ago, and revision of building permits (but no rate increase). In these cases, permits are issued by the central service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (DAOKA). According to the explanatory note, the suspension is introduced in connection with the preparation of the Special Urban Development Plan (STP) on the island. This argument would make sense if something similar applied to Santorini and Elafonissos (where the EPA is also being prepared), or if the suspension were introduced as soon as the Ministry of the Interior announced its intention to prepare the EPA (the contract was signed in August 2022 and its implementation is already off schedule). It is possible that the decree is connected with the (often announced, but never implemented) introduction of urban control on the island after the beating of an employee of the Ephorate of Antiquities.

• Responsible for the Technical Chamber(s) to conduct primary and secondary earthquake inspections. It is noteworthy that this is not only about public buildings, but also about “critical functions of the private sector.” The entire control structure, from prioritization to remuneration of engineers and TEEs, will be decided by the ministry.

• It is possible (at the discretion of the Minister) to prohibit access to land and sea in the area of ​​the shipwreck on Zakynthos. The Ionian Islands region is allowed to entrust the protection of the territory directly to a private individual until the end of October.

• The launch of the return guarantee system for plastic and glass bottles (known as DRS) has been extended once again (until September).

• It is envisaged that the state will not defend the ownership of forest land that became the property of monasteries by decree of 1930. On this occasion, a decision of the Supreme Court (6/2020) was also issued, giving the right to a monastery in Thessaly, which asked to recognize its ownership of an area of ​​13,800 acres. Notably, however, under a 2014 law (Law 4301), monasteries are still not required to declare such property to the land registry, which undermines the role of the land registry as it leaves “gaps” in property. in the database.

• As a derogation from the law, it is allowed to expand existing industries beyond the limits of the Pelion Plan. According to the explanatory note, we are talking about packaging and processing facilities for agricultural and livestock products, which, however, does not follow from the (general) regulation.

Exhibition

Otherwise, the report of the Scientific Committee of the Parliament was published yesterday. The commission pointed out several problematic points: the transfer of control competence over water to the RAE (contrary to judicial practice), the cancellation of the resettlement of the village of Akrini (there are court decisions), some activities on protected areas and special environmental studies, the “adjustment” of the boundaries of protected settlements by a ministerial decree instead of a decree president, “legalization” of cut areas (“farmers’ conviction in the legality of exploitation is being strengthened”), etc. Finally, yesterday, in a letter to the prime minister, nine environmental organizations expressed their disappointment with the content of the bill.