It’s high time the debate began
Every civilized country has a straightforward national zoning plan. Any businessman knows where he is allowed to establish a hotel or industrial plant, while the ordinary citizen knows where he can build a house. Greece has until now lacked such a zoning plan and, as a result, we can only welcome the government’s decision to bring the issue to Parliament. It is time for a long-ranging and serious debate on the future of this country. The national zoning plan outlines the type of development we are aiming for. It also signifies whether – and how – the town zoning plans will be extended. However, the bill submitted by the Public Works Ministry does not go far enough while also being full of generalizations. The blueprint needs improvement and a number of points need to be clarified. One cannot ignore the objections and the recommendations of other government officials and other experts. Before the legislation is passed we need a thorough debate in order to come to an agreement on what kind of Greece we want to pass onto the next generations.
