GIORGOS LIALIOS

Greece back in EU dock over wastewater management

Greece is being referred to the European Court for the fourth time over “widespread failures” in urban wastewater management.

Rio-Antirrio bridge turning 20

After robots were used to check the state of the pylons submerged 65 meters below sea level and alpinists completed their annual overhaul last week, a team of divers will be deployed on the massive maintenance project of the Rio-Antirrio bridge, which turns 20 next month.

23.07.2024 / 14:24

Courts convict, but fines are cut

Contradictory court decisions and local authorities’ inexplicable leniency ensure that cases of environmental regulation violations drag for a long time and the violations remain unpunished, despite the best efforts of environmental NGOs.

21.07.2024 / 08:54

Many properties still undeclared

The number of empty lots – properties without buildings – not declared to the national property registry is about 3.3 million, or 22% of the total. Similarly, undeclared built properties, including flats in apartment buildings, exceed 147,000.

20.07.2024 / 08:21

Land registry hit ‘over 400 times’ by hackers

Hellenic Cadastre, the agency keeping and managing Greece’s property registry, had been attacked by hackers hundreds of times by early Friday, but no data exfiltration has been detected, the Ministry of Digital Governance said.

19.07.2024 / 07:55

Hackers hit property registry

Hellenic Cadastre, the agency that keeps the country’s property registry, came under cyber attack with, so far, unknown consequences.

18.07.2024 / 12:16

Officials defending the right to openly flout the law

The fight against businesses’ illegal occupation of public beaches continues, but inspections have drawn the ire of some local mayors and MPs.

17.07.2024 / 12:42

WWF report slams waste policy

Greece’s waste treatment policy is wasteful, polluting and is expected to continue for decades.

12.07.2024 / 11:59

Court rules against building height bonus

A new decision of the Fifth Section of the Council of State deems unconstitutional not only the height increases based on the bonus included in the new building regulation but also the exemption from the calculated building factor of various spaces such as lofts and bay windows (“hidden” factor) as they lead to larger buildings, at the expense of the residential environment.

04.07.2024 / 21:49

Tourism zoning plan’s flaws

Tourism is the absolute dominator in Greece’s zoning plans, with hardly any restrictions imposed, as seen in the text of the new Special Zoning Plan for Tourism put up for public consultation on Wednesday.

03.07.2024 / 16:00

Jeep adventures threaten protected sand dunes

The beaches of the Kotychi-Strofylia Wetlands National Park along the coastal zone of the northwest Peloponnese are transformed into a track for four-wheel drive vehicles every weekend, threatening the protected sand dunes and coastal vegetation.

28.06.2024 / 21:44

Attica road projects take priority for Infrastructure Ministry

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is opening the debate on the execution of new major projects in Attica.

28.06.2024 / 20:57

Uncontrolled construction threatens Sifnos’ character

Scientists and local bodies on Sifnos are sounding the alarm about the alteration of the Aegean island’s natural landscape due to reckless construction.

26.06.2024 / 17:03

Funding to clear brush, branches sparks blame game

The Ministry of the Interior announced the immediate allocation of 1.3 million euros to the municipalities of Attica to collect the large quantities of dry branches and waste from private plots, recognizing the serious problem that has been created and the potential for fires.

23.06.2024 / 22:11

Revamping refuges at the home of the gods

The first operation to Mount Olympus took place earlier this month and it involved airlifting photovoltaic panels, prefabricated roofing sections, and bags of sand and bricks to the Giosos Apostolidis and Christos Kakalos refuges, at altitudes of 2,710 meters and 2,660 meters respectively.