Western Macedonia faces 18% GDP decline amid energy transition

Olga Markogiannakis, Deputy Spokesperson for PASOK-KINAL, has criticized the economic impact of the lignite phase-out in Western Macedonia. According to Eurostat data, the region's GDP decreased by 18% between 2019 and 2024, even as the real GDP of the European Union grew by 5.6% during the same period. This represents the second-largest decline among 244 European regions.

Markogiannakis noted that while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed optimism regarding new job creation in the region, the statistical reality shows a significant economic contraction. The region is also facing a demographic crisis, with Eurostat ranking Western Macedonia second among European regions for population decline, driven by an aging population and the migration of young people.

Despite Public Power Corporation (PPC/DEI) presenting new investment plans in Kozani, critics argue that the transition has dismantled the existing productive model without successfully establishing a replacement. The economic shift is further highlighted by a 60% reduction in coal use across Europe over the last fifteen years.