Lake Karla expropriation: 300 families face compensation delays until 2028

Approximately 300 families in Stefanovikio, Rizomylos, and Kanalia, Magnesia, remain in a state of uncertainty regarding compensation for land expropriated by the Greek state. The expropriations were originally conducted to facilitate irrigation networks for the restoration of Lake Karla.

Despite a Larissa Court of Appeals decision setting compensation at 3,000 euros per stremma, owners are currently receiving only 900 euros per stremma. A legal appeal by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to the Supreme Court has delayed the final resolution, with a hearing scheduled for May 5, 2028.

The affected landowners, who have also suffered from recent extreme weather events such as storms Daniel and Elias, argue that the current payments do not cover lost income or the actual value of the land. The issue has been raised in the Greek Parliament, with local representative Christos Boukoronas calling for government intervention to resolve the long-standing dispute.