Payments for home tweaks funding more open spaces
The Environment Ministry announced on Monday the first appropriations of land in Attica with money from the Green Fund created as part of scheme for homeowners to pay penalties for parts of their properties that have been illegally altered.
The ministry said that 62 million euros is being used to buy land in 12 municipalities in Attica and 15 others around Greece. The plots will be turned into public spaces.
The scheme was created last year, when the government announced that homeowners would be allowed to declare areas of residences which were originally planned as balconies, garages or basements but have since been turned into living space, known as «imiypaithrioi» (semi-open) in Greek, in return for paying a fine.
So far, more than 400,000 declarations have been made, bringing in 131 million euros for the Green Fund. The deadline for imiypaithrioi declarations to be made is at the end of February.
