[REVISION HISTORY]
Greek water reform bill passes amid privatization concerns
Updated 13 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.
What changed
2026-09-02 05:36 UTC → 2026-09-26 09:03 UTC ·
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removed
On 30 July 2026, the Greek Parliament approved a water-management bill (157–131 votes) expanding the authority of public utilities EYDAP and EYATH. Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou defended the reform, citing inadequate current models and contamination risks—including uranium and bacteria—in Chalkidiki and Volvi. He dismissed privatization claims as “3+1 fake news,” asserting the goal is to ensure safe, publicly-controlled supply and reduce water loss. However, opposition remains intense. PASOK spokesperson Kostas Tsoukalas argued the expansion violates constitutional protections for municipal autonomy. Environmental groups, including WWF Greece and Greenpeace, warned the law could lead to commodification and may breach EU law by authorizing river diversions toward Attica. Critics also linked the reform to a broader pattern of neoliberalism, suggesting the government is treating water as a market commodity. Following the vote, Law 5325/2026 was published, granting EYATH exclusive water and sewage rights in Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki until 2038, with implementation expected by July 2027. In tandem with the legislative overhaul, public utilities have launched EYDAP has advanced several major infrastructure tenders. EYDAP initiated a €9.3 million international tender for On 2 September 2026, the Psyttalia III wastewater upgrade and utility re-launched a €124 million project tender for a wastewater treatment plant in East Attica, Attica to serve Rafina, Pikermi, Spata, and Artemida, following previous the cancellation of a 2023 process due to legal disputes. These projects align with the government’s stated focus Additionally, on climate resilience 25 September 2026, EYDAP awarded a €50.2 million contract for the Marathon Wastewater Treatment Plant and modernizing aging infrastructure. associated pipelines to the consortium of ‘Gkoliopoulos A.T.E. - Giovanni Putignano & Figli S. R. L.’, securing the bid with an average discount of 17%.
Versions
- 2026-09-26 09:03 UTC Greek water reform bill passes amid privatization concerns
- 2026-09-02 05:36 UTC Greek water reform bill passes amid privatization concerns
- 2026-08-07 05:18 UTC Greek water reform bill faces continued political opposition
- 2026-08-02 17:25 UTC Greek water reform bill faces continued political opposition
- 2026-07-31 19:29 UTC Greek water reform bill faces continued political opposition
- 2026-07-31 19:19 UTC Greek water reform bill passes amid NGO opposition
- 2026-07-31 17:08 UTC Greek water reform bill passes amid NGO opposition
- 2026-07-30 23:19 UTC Greek water reform vote sparks NGO pushback
- 2026-07-30 12:04 UTC Greece water reform ties into energy self‑sufficiency
- 2026-07-30 09:59 UTC Greece water reform ties into energy self‑sufficiency
- 2026-07-29 16:24 UTC Greece water reform ties into energy self‑sufficiency
- 2026-07-29 14:41 UTC Greece water reform ties into energy self‑sufficiency
- 2026-07-28 19:44 UTC Greece water reform ties into energy self‑sufficiency
- 2026-07-26 05:37 UTC Greece water reform bill advances
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