Thanasis Papadopoulos calls for increased municipal funding in Greece

Thanasis Papadopoulos, President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Western Greece and Mayor of Kalavryta, presented a memorandum of demands at the Annual Regular Congress of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) in Kalamata.

Speaking following Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Papadopoulos argued that government announcements are insufficient for municipalities to fulfill their developmental and social roles. He highlighted critical issues including low growth, underfunding, demographic decline, and the energy crisis.

To illustrate the funding gap, Papadopoulos cited the Municipality of Kalavryta, noting that the budget for roadworks across 130 villages is only 450,000 euros per year. He also noted that while school maintenance needs exceed 250,000 euros annually, the actual funding received is only 22,000 euros. Similar discrepancies were noted regarding the management of stray animals.