The Environment and Public Works Ministry announced yesterday the
approval of its proposals for the European Union subsidy period of
2007-2013.
The program totals 4.3 billion euros and includes 11
fields of action and major project proposals. Minister Giorgos Souflias
said that it had been approved by the EU without any amendments. This
opens the way for the projects’ tenders, with the relevant documents
already submitted to the ministry.
The program for the 2007-2013
period is split in to two groups of projects: The first, to receive
money from the EU’s Cohesion Fund, includes activity related to the
protection of the atmosphere, public transport, climate change and
renewable energy sources, protection and management of water resources,
prevention and handling of environmental risks and the management of
solid waste. The second, to be funded by the National Strategic
Reference Framework (ESPA), contains projects to protect the atmosphere
and deal with climate change, management of water resources, prevention
and handling of environmental risks, protection of the natural
environment and biodiversity and the strengthening of institutions and
mechanisms.
Projects include the Thessaloniki metro, the sewage
network at Markopoulo in Attica, the creation of new landfills and
recycling centers across the country, the inclusion of 24 areas (such
as Mount Olympus, the island of Tilos and the Prespes Lakes) in
protected zones, and the creation of stations to measure pollution.