Greece announces initiatives to support regional decentralization

The Greek government has announced three new initiatives aimed at combating demographic decline and promoting regional decentralization. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined these measures to encourage residents to remain in or relocate to rural areas.

The first initiative focuses on employment through a subsidized program for businesses hiring workers in mountainous and remote regions. This program leverages remote work, with the government covering 90% of salary and insurance costs for a period of 12 months to incentivize businesses to retain staff.

The second measure involves vocational training and education. In Karpenisi, a new specialization in Hotel Management will be established through DYPA, offering 25 positions for the 2026-2027 period with monthly apprenticeship stipends of up to 588 euros. This is designed to meet local economic needs, particularly in mountain tourism.

The third initiative involves the expansion of the Resettlement Program. Originally piloted in Evros, the program is being extended to seven municipalities within the Ioannina Regional Unit to support areas facing intense demographic challenges.