The “green light” gave the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia Thrace to increase by 35% the reimbursable electricity and cleaning fees in the municipality of Thessalonikis, after a legality check carried out on the correct repetition of the municipal council’s decision.

The issue of the 35% increase in the retributive fees came up for discussion in the municipal council after a proposal by the outgoing municipal authority of Constantinos Zervas on December 19, 2023 and a roll-call vote followed with only six councilors voting in favor and most in the negative or white.

Initially, it was considered that the issue was voted against since the negative votes were more than the white ones. However, when the decision of the municipal council of Thessaloniki was sent for review to the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia – Thrace, it was found that at that meeting the required number of positive votes had been gathered, given that no other proposal was submitted for voting.

After this finding, the services of the municipality of Thessaloniki re-communicated the correct decision and the proposal of the Zerva administration to increase the reimbursement fees was accepted. The decision bears the signature of the secretary of Decentralized, Ioannis Savvas, and was communicated to the new municipal authority of Stelios Angeloudis.

From Decentralized Administration nor was the imposition of reparative fees on the temples approveds (for which a relevant exception is provided for in the law), nor the reduction of fees for vulnerable groups, as the law provides for a different majority.

After this development, the staff of the new mayor, Mr. Angeloudis, who took over the administration of the municipality from January 1, 2024, will now only proceed with the preparation of the budget for the current year.