“The strong and safe State and the plans that also deal with the effects of the climate crisis are not among the priorities of Mr. Mitsotakis”, says the president of the Parliamentary Group of SYRIZA-PS, Sokratis Famellos, on the occasion of receiving from the prime minister, of master plan of Thessaly. “The only thing that concerns him is communication and the transfer of responsibilities,” he adds.

In his announcement, Mr. Famellos states: “Mr. Mitsotakis today announced the receipt of the master plan of Thessaly, hypocritically describing it as the ‘first holistic effort to manage the water resources problem of Thessaly’, with the sole aim of covering the government responsibilities for floods’.

He then explains: “We remind him that Thessaly already has a water resources plan (SDRAP) from 2014, the revision of which was completed in 2017, as well as a flood risk management plan (FRM), which was completed in 2018, according to the European directives 2000/60 and 2007/60. These plans have been submitted to the European Commission as required.

These plans included mountain hydrology projects, dams, land improvement projects and regional savings projects, and above all rational water management, as well as flood zones, which were unfortunately confirmed in the floods of Daniel and Elias. Except that these projects, the Mitsotakis government and the previous Agorastos Regional Authority, chose to leave them on paper. While they did not proceed with the revisions of both plans that had to be completed by 31/12/2021 and of course they did not submit them to the European. Commission, which has already initiated proceedings against our country”.

In closing, Mr. Famellos underlines: “Every contribution to the management of Thessaly’s water resources is valuable. And we will study the Dutch company’s proposals announced today. But aside from the big words, it would be more valuable if the government took responsibility even once. Because what the citizens, farmers and businesses of Thessaly need – and had – are the projects that the government did not proceed with. And knowing that the revisions of the SDLAAP and SDKP are being developed in parallel by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a question arises as to which plan will apply and if one will finally be implemented”.