Nikos Androulakes slams Greek water bill, says government treats local officials as accomplices

PASOK‑Change leader Nikos Androulakes met with the mayors of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki in eastern Thessaloniki to protest the government's draft law on water management. He described the legislation as a "closed system of power" that seeks to make local authorities "wave‑breakers of its political choices" and accused the cabinet of treating elected mayors as "accomplices".

Androulakes argued the bill overturns previous regulations by forcing compulsory mergers of municipal water companies, contrary to the earlier code that allowed voluntary mergers. He said the government is repealing its own earlier measures without any dialogue or consultation with local governments, thereby undermining municipal autonomy. The opposition leader called for a coordinated response from the affected municipalities.

The criticisms focus on the lack of consultation, the perceived centralisation of water services, and the potential impact on local governance throughout Central Macedonia.