Zoning bill called into question
A number of politicians, businessmen and environmentalists have expressed their concerns about the government’s land zoning plan, which is set to be the subject of parliamentary debate in the next few weeks. Chief among the skeptics is New Democracy MP and head of Parliament’s environmental protection committee Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Writing in Sunday’s Kathimerini, the deputy expressed concern that the draft law does not encourage «green development» and does not adequately tackle unlicensed construction. «The National Land Zoning Plan has room for improvement so that it can truly play its role and not just be a line of defense against the Council of State, which often overturns decisions to stop construction that does not conform to a wider zoning plan,» wrote Mitsotakis. The head of policy at environmental group WWF Hellas, Theodota Nantsou, said the bill «is light years away from what a national zoning plan should be.» Kathimerini and Skai are holding a conference on the subject today at 8 p.m. at the Benaki Museum at 138 Pireos Street.
