“In Western Macedonia, as in the farmers’ blockades but also in the mobilizations of the students and the university community, we receive a request: let us stay and protest in our place! But this is disputed by government policy. And here in Western Macedonia, where for so many years we were exploited as a country to have lignite electricity generation, the state must apply the zero deficit clause. That is, the region should lose neither income, nor employment, nor GDP, nor social cohesion from de-lignitization. The biggest problem we have today is that there is no planning for the transition to the post-lignite period, rather an adventurous approach to it, with communication fiestas. It is provocative that this process is not managed locally, it is not even known to the local bodies and the self-government, and unfortunately it is proceeding with non-transparency for the benefit of a few interests”, stressed the President of the Parliamentary group of SYRIZA-PS Sokratis Famellos, during his speech at the 1st Regional Development Conference of SYRIZA-PS for Western Macedonia, held in Kozani.

Initially, S. Famellos pointed out that “Western Macedonia suffered a lot of negative effects during the first 4 years of Mitsotakis, due to the government’s energy policy, with the unfair and violent lignitization that led to the closure of lignite plants – contrary to the pre-election commitments of 2019 -, but without concern for the country’s energy security. The local results are poverty, unemployment, especially among young people, insecurity and the abandonment of the region by tens of thousands of citizens. Mr. Mitsotakis acted on his statement, the German companies found opportunities and the residents must find something else to do, since they were left to their own devices.”

Continuing, S.Famellos underlined the pivotal, negative role of PPC “which has ceased to function as a public electricity company, it does not serve its developmental and social role, neither for the country, nor for Western Macedonia. But it operates as a private company, a member of a cartel, accumulating super profits.” It is a priority for SYRIZA-PS, for the public to recover the majority of PPC so that it can play a role in the next day of the region by supporting the citizens and not its profits.

He pointed out that “as early as 2018, SYRIZA as a government started the consultation with the local bodies for the planned, smooth and fair transition of Western Macedonia and established the first Just Transition Fund, which the ND has not utilized until today. Western Macedonia now lives in complete uncertainty. Unemployment is increasing, people are abandoning it, local energy communities cannot be connected to the grid, restorations are not progressing and land is not being given to local communities for productive uses”, pointed out S. Famellos.

“There is still no regional spatial plan, decisions are made in closed offices in Athens and the change of uses as well as the anarchic development of photovoltaics create fait accompli”, emphasized S. Famellos. “Even in the Just Transition Fund, established by the SYRIZA government, the resources given every year have decreased and of the 127.7 million euros that have been collected, only half has been used. The funding achieved from the European Just Transition Fund was low in relation to de-lignification commitments and the long-term unemployment plaguing the region. At the same time, the absorption of funds from the Recovery Fund for land restoration is zero.”

S. Famellos presented the proposals of SYRIZA-PS for the region which include:

  • the immediate completion of spatial and urban planning with transparency and participation and safeguarding of agricultural land
  • the restoration of lignite mine lands and their performance in the local community
  • the support of the unemployed, the provision of extraordinary social income and the freezing of the debts of those who have invested in machinery or equipment
  • the protection of the area’s biodiversity, which will feed back the primary and tertiary sectors
  • the attraction of new investments with a positive development and employment footprint by covering part of the insurance and labor costs,
  • The support and expansion of the strengthening of the energy communities
  • The prioritization of energy efficiency projects in all public buildings, residences and small and medium enterprises
  • Reforming Just Transition governance structures to ensure participation
  • A brave public infrastructure program throughout the Region, for local government projects, rail connections, electrification, irrigation networks and outreach infrastructures in Education, Health, Culture that will provide direct jobs.

Concluding his presentation, S. Famellos emphasized that “the weaning of power generation from both lignite and natural gas must be done as soon as possible, but with a plan that ensures the country’s energy security, clean and affordable energy for all – households, businesses, farmers and the just transition of lignite regions”.

He noted that “this can only be ensured by a strong, modern and humane state, which has a plan and ensures the opportunity for all people to have the same rights, the same possibilities and the same opportunities”.