Egnatia Odos infrastructure and tolling disputes

Infrastructure and management issues regarding the Egnatia Odos highway in Greece have drawn criticism from regional and former national officials.

Regional Governor Alexandros Kachimanis addressed the Epirus Regional Committee to discuss maintenance, tunnel restrictions, and the lack of alternative road networks. Kachimanis attributed operational limitations to European regulations and previous administrations, specifically mentioning an ‘independent tunnel authority in Europe,’ though reports clarify the tunnel authority is a Greek state instrument. He also defended the region’s legal stance on tolls, citing Council of State rulings.

Following these concerns, former Deputy Minister Stavros Kalogiannis demanded action from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport regarding delays in tunnel certification, which have caused lane closures and congestion. Kalogiannis criticized the insufficiency of alternative road suggestions and highlighted technical issues at the Aktio toll stations, where a lack of transponder interoperability causes delays. He further noted that the transition to a fully interoperable electronic tolling system with proportional charging remains incomplete despite long-standing targets.