Papastavrou on Presidential decrees for settlements: Legislative regulation coming soon – New Urban Planning for 80% of the territory

In a recent interview on Alpha TV, Minister of Environment and Energy Mr. Stavros Papastavrou detailed the upcoming legislative initiatives focusing on energy, environmental, and spatial planning issues.

Mr. Papastavrou highlighted the international tender for hydrocarbon exploration in the South Crete 1 and 2 regions, aiming to complete this process by the year’s end. This timeline would enable seismic surveys to commence in 2026 by the chosen contractor. He remarked, “The interest from U.S. energy companies like Chevron and ExxonMobil in Greek maritime territory suggests there may be commercially viable resources in our waters, benefiting Greek citizens through potential revenue.” When asked about possible Turkish responses, he noted that American interest could bolster Greece’s position, referencing Libya’s recent maritime block announcements that respect Greece’s median line.

Discussing the New Building Regulation (NOK) and concerns about potential legal actions from developers at the European Court, Mr. Papastavrou affirmed that the government respects all decisions made by the European Court, just as it does with rulings from Greece’s Council of State (CoS). “For too long, Greece faced issues of regulatory ambiguity and fragmented legislation that hindered effective urban planning. We are now working on 227 Local Urban Plans and 18 Special Urban Plans, which will cover 80% of the country. This historic reform will standardize urban planning legislation for the first time and digitize the Cadastre,” the Minister stated.

He also mentioned that within the next 10 days, the Ministry would present a Presidential Decree to clarify crucial matters, including the definition of “commencement of works,” to prevent misinterpretation. “In today’s climate of regulatory uncertainty, the Ministry needs to establish legal clarity, ensuring every property owner and builder understands what regulations apply, thus promoting construction activity,” added Mr. Papastavrou.

The Minister emphasized settlements with fewer than 2,000 residents and referenced CoS decisions from 2005, 2017, and 2019 that invalidated the authority granted to Prefects in 1985 for defining settlement boundaries. He explained that the CoS determined that Prefects lacked the scientific expertise needed for this task, resulting in often arbitrary boundaries. “Of the country’s 10,000 settlements, 150 in Rethymno and Pelion have had their boundary decisions annulled by the CoS, preventing any construction permits from being issued there,” he stated, noting the risk to other settlements in case of legal challenges—an issue now being addressed by the upcoming Presidential Decree. “The challenge lies in Zone C, which the CoS did not validate in the Decree. To ensure legal certainty, we are quickly moving forward with legislative measures that will align with current law and jurisprudence while supporting smaller settlements and decentralization,” he further explained.

Additionally, he touched on the new Marine Spatial Planning initiative, asserting that safeguarding marine zones and ecosystems is a top priority for the Ministry. He outlined the forthcoming steps, referencing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ announcement at last year’s 9th “Our Ocean Conference” in Athens regarding the establishment of two marine parks in the South Aegean and Ionian Seas. These initiatives will be fast-tracked, with Presidential Decrees set to be issued by 2025. “As the Prime Minister mentioned, trawlers will be prohibited in these parks, and a sophisticated electronic monitoring system will be implemented to ensure the ecological sustainability of these marine areas,” he added.

“For the first time, we have a strategic framework for managing our seas and human activities within them. This is a responsibility we owe to future generations,” concluded Mr. Papastavrou.