On Tuesday, according to the plan, it will be discussed and voted on. Plenary session of Parliament bill for his broom Ministry of the Environment. The law of 263 articles includes a number of new norms and amendments to environmental and urban planning legislation, including several “photographic” ones, which caused dissatisfaction with scientific bodies and environmental organizations.

The bill introduced last Wednesday combined three texts: the draft law on renaming the Energy Regulatory Authority into the Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority, the bill “Modernization of legislation on the use and production of electricity from renewable sources by integrating EU directives 2018/2001 and 2019 /944” and the recent multi-draft “Special Provisions on Renewable Energy and Environmental Protection”, and 18 new articles were added. Most of the bill concerns energy issues, as well as legislation regarding special environmental studies (SEA) for Natura territories, agreements with which undermine their completion. For example, when delimiting zones in the Natura territories, the Ministry of the Interior requires that the existing activities, the performance of functions that are inextricably linked to the urban or residential character of the territories, the special spatial context, as well as “economic, social and cultural needs, as well as regional and local characteristics “. As several bodies in Parliament have pointed out (other than the BSE, which expressed its satisfaction), these factors “open a window” for requests for exemption from land management conditions and are not related to the protection of species and habitats.

By the same bill, among other things:

• The Ministry is trying to restore the possibility of “registration” of cut forest land in cultivation. These lands are supposed to be identified by OPEKEPE (the body responsible for the subsidies), they will not lose their (old) forest character, but will retain their illegal use as long as they are subsidized, and they will have “immunity” from fines and other sanctions.

• The Minister of the Environment has been given the right by his decision (instead of a presidential decree) to “correct” the boundaries of settlements. This is an arrangement that seems to “photograph” a famous case in Papigo.

According to the plan, it should be discussed and put to a vote at the plenary session of Parliament on Tuesday.

• The possibility of building tourist settlements (tourist accommodation complexes) has been expanded both on private forest plots and on state ones.

• Instead of the minimum building distance from the beach increasing due to climate change, the opportunity that has been given to tourist villages to build 30 meters from the beach (vs. 50 meters which is the general rule) extends to “mixed accommodation of tourists “. “.

• The settlements of squatters in Provalinthos and Ampeloupolis in Mati are excluded from the forest legislation. Two settlements were not legalized during the preparation of a special town-planning plan, which caused protests (and appeals to the Council of Ministers) from associations of their residents.

• Special city plans may include “legalization” or opening of a road (through expropriation by the government) to make the land of a private person who will make a strategic investment (off the beaten path) suitable for construction.

• To pay the inheritance, you will not need a certificate from the forestry about the nature of the area.