The institutional management of space in the modern Greek state is based on long-lived legislation with many fragmentary micro-modifications that reflect the general spirit of its time. In 1835, a royal decree, signed only “by the grace of God, King Otho”, refers to the first efforts to form a young Greek state.

The text was written in German and Greek by Bavarian convalescence escorts and echoes the basic demands of health in the context of Europe’s booming industrial revolution, while little Athens lies in ruins from the ravages of Turkish incursions.

Airless living space management

The Royal Decree of 1835 proves to be a dead end, as in 88 years it will be superseded by the longest-running Legislative Decree, 7/16/8/1923 “On Plans for the Cities, Towns, and County of the State, and Building Permits,” which concludes today, along with dozens of minor amendments in a century . The law was signed by Minister for Refugee Settlement Apostolos Doxiadis, father of the eminent urban planner Konstantinos Doxiadis. French law of the time is its model, but it was influenced by the huge housing problems of the wave of refugees. In a few years, a decree on unplanned territories will be issued, i.e. presidential decree of October 23 / 4.11.1928 “On determining the conditions and restricting the construction of buildings inside and outside the urban zone of the state”, which was supplemented by 33 (!) Minor amendments until 1978, when it was replaced by similar ones. This decree remains in force today and proves disastrous for areas outside the city’s plans, which are fragmented uncontrollably. The sad habit of the state to watch over unplanned construction, and also to constantly legitimize the “legalization” of legal and arbitrary buildings by order of all ministers and always with the legitimization of the unanimity of parliament.

In conclusion, it follows that the management of the Greek space after the Second World War is unprepared, with outdated concepts and with aversion to persistent global differences. The relevant competence of the government, even in the post-colonial period, was a “poor relative”, from time to time integrated into the competence of other ministries. After World War II, urban planning was the responsibility of the Settlement Service of the Romanian Ministry of Public Works, headed by a minister, while the minister of public works usually lacks experience in the ever-growing special terrain issues that are entrusted to the deputy minister. And this at a time when new currents are blowing at the international level, such as environmental protection, various pollution or the growth of civil society.

Changes in the post-colonial era

Liberation from old prejudices comes with the fall of the dictatorship and the dynamic implementation of new policies by post-colonial governments. As far as urban planning is concerned, two radical changes are taking place. Firstly, one of the first laws introduced taxation of real estate (Law 11/1974) in half, i.e. prefabricated part with the corresponding study from 1972, and the second, i.e. transfer of duties and collection of OTA tax.

In addition, the revision of the Constitution adopted at the beginning of 1975 and including Article 24, introducing innovative developments such as the new concept of environmental protection, which is a unique exception in the constitutions of European states, is immediately being prepared. For the first three years, the Deputy Ministers of the Department of Public Works Housing Authority did not respond to the demands of the times and did not follow the requirements of the new Constitution. The situation changed dramatically when, in November 1977, Stefanos Manos, the first member of the Parliament of Athens, was elected and sworn in as Deputy Minister of Public Works, responsible for housing service, and remained there until March 1980.

The work of this three-year period is rich and varied. Some are characteristically mentioned. The sudden transformation of Vukurestiou street into a pedestrian street, the reduction of real estate construction factors, the implementation of the large residential units of Komotini and Xanthi with 4,000 residential buildings, the introduction of the land use institution in Greece, and then the metro in Athens. and a new airport – later “Eleftherios Venizelos”. However, the most important achievement of the post-colonial era is the intervention, unprecedented by Greek standards, in the historical residential complex of Plaka. Plaka is saved from the progressive distortion of her image and status. The Plaka operation has received many accolades at home and abroad, such as the annual Europa Nostra (European Union) mega-award, the congratulations of many experts on traditional settlements at the conference of the Italian Institute in Athens, and the two-day evaluation by German specialists at the Goethe Institute in Athens. The recognition is due to the catalytic role of civil society with the coordinating committee of the inhabitants of Plaka, which was established by the Hellenic Society in cooperation with other local organizations from the very beginning of the intervention. In addition, the Hellenic Society then established the Committee of the People of Plaka, which constantly monitors and fights for the implementation of the intervention and especially for the conscientious implementation of the institution of land use introduced in Greece by Stefanos Manos, with the first application in Tarelka.

Failures and shortcomings in environmental policy

Both the great success of Stefanos Manos as Deputy Minister of Public Works and the new demands are due to the reorientation of space management. One of the most important imperatives of the young Constitution of 1975 concerns the growing need for environmental protection, which is growing internationally. This is Article 24, which establishes an unprecedented policy. Therefore, in March 1980, with the strong support of the then Minister for Coordination, Yannis Paleokrassas, he was separated from the Ministry of Public Works and transferred to the Ministry of Planning, Settlements and the Environment, with Stefanos Manos as the first minister.

However, in May of the same 1980, for non-partisan reasons related to law 947/1979 (on residential areas), which was a key urban development measure in the post-colonial period and was supposed to end the tolerance for the plague. arbitrary construction, a new change occurs. In view of the parliamentary elections, this leading piece of legislation is placed in the pantry of history, and Stefanos Manos moves to the Ministry of Industry until the elections of 1981. Ten years after his tenure as Minister of Spatial Planning, Settlements and the Environment, Stefanos Manos returns as a member of the government to Konstantinou Mitsotakis, during the period 1990-91. worked in the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and was subsequently appointed Minister of National Economy. If in previous ministries he was far away from Plaka, this time he is on the other side of Mitropoleos Street and follows the achievements of the revitalized Plaka area.

Mr. Yiannis M. Michael is an urban architect and Vice President of the Hellenic Society for the Environment and Culture.

Editor: Evantis Chatsivasiliou