The President of the Movement for Change Fofi Gennimata had today a teleconference with the Regional Union of Municipalities of Western Macedonia, with the main object of the problems created by the Government planning, and the proposals of the Movement for Change for the Fair Transition of the region in the post-lignite era.
After the teleconference, the President of the Movement for Change made the following statement:
Western Macedonia and especially Kozani and Florina, were abandoned by the Government of N.D..
The hasty and hasty decisions for the abolition of lignite plants, were not accompanied by a substantial development plan for the future.
As a result, local communities face survival problems, these areas are in danger of "disappearing from the map".
The so-called master plan presented by the Government, is only a sum of vague investment plans, of which there is no care for local production, jobs and added value, while the participation of local communities and their actors is not foreseen.
Of course, as always with N.D.. typically lacks any prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises and smaller-scale investments.
The Movement for Change very timely, not only did he criticize Government actions, but also presented his own plan for the Smooth and FAIR TRANSITION of these areas in the new era. A plan that he put in an open discussion with the Local Government, the actors of production, the unions of West. Of Macedonia.
We have a specific vision, with the main aim of these areas to maintain the energy BrandName, which they have for decades - at a cost - secured internationally.
But their future energy character will have new content and purpose, with emphasis in energy democracyand goal promotion of energy communities, supporting agricultural production and self-production for all households.
The huge photovoltaic installations are not an emblematic action for us, that do not offer jobs and local development. Nor obviously the increase in imported gas.
A flagship action for us is for example to turn all homes into clean energy producers in a decade, leading the country to the new era. In this way we finally cure the problem of energy poverty in the region and enable the development of new crops of agricultural production and cheap energy in new industries and crafts.
As well as the decisive and priority support of the University of Western Macedonia, for the development of research and the creation of English-language departments and postgraduate courses.
With the necessary securing of funding 300 million euros per year for the next 10-15 years.
And of course we ask the increase of the amounts of the Green Fund for the Fair Transition of Western Macedonia and Megalopolis that was cut by the former Minister of Environment and. Hatzidakis.
| Energy Planning | |
| New Democracy Government | Change Movement |
| Replacement of domestic lignite with imported and polluting natural gas with a schedule outside the European framework. | Replacement of lignite with rapid penetration of RES and schedule provided by the European framework. |
| No additional EU funding for the withdrawal of lignite plants and the support of transition areas. | Requirement of equal treatment with countries dependent on solid fuels such as Poland with additional resources. |
| Loss 800 million for the interconnection of islands. | Claim all available EU funds. |
| Emission reductions are limited unilaterally and exclusively to electricity generation, ignoring critical sources of pollution such as transport. | National Railway Development Plan with electric drive and promotion of MMM. |
| Anarchic RES development with the sole criterion of their ability to connect to the network. | Upgrading the distribution network to be more efficient, faster and more balanced RES development across the country |
| Clear preference for pharaonic RES projects so that energy remains in the hands of an oligarchy. | Energy democracy by promoting energy communities, support for agricultural production and self-production for all households. |
| Promotion of e-mobility with a subsidy for the purchase of imported cars. | Dynamic participation of the country in the production of electric vehicles. |
| West Macedonia | |
| New Democracy Government | Change Movement |
| Restriction of the masterplan to the energy axis with the apparent absence of the lakeside area, of Volos, of Kastoria and Grevena. | Dealing with Western Macedonia as a single development unit with a special spatial plan for the energy axis. |
| Vague proposals with blurred implementation horizon and complete absence of reference to critical infrastructure. | Emphasis on the basic infrastructure that make the area attractive for investments with the implementation of the Strategic Transport Investment Framework (ΣΠΕΜ) for D.M.. |
| The only specific investments are 2,3 GW PV from PPC and ELPE.
| Kozani and Western Macedonia strongholds of energy democracy across Europe. |
| By the same token, the lakeside area suddenly appeared in the development plans with a huge floating PV. | Development of the lakeside area with a comprehensive plan in the fields of agri-food and tourism. |
| Poor and trivial references to the primary sector at the time 40.000 acres of productive land of the mines are assigned by a recent law to PPC exclusively for the development of PV | Integrated rural development proposal with Cooperatives and Producer Groups with emphasis on greenhouses and crops that can be processed. |
| Patchwork and expensive solutions with a short time horizon for district heating | SITHYA that ensures district heating and greenhouses in winter and heat-consuming agricultural processing industries in summer. |
| Statement of intentions for innovative investments that require a long time to mature ( technology parks ) or presuppose the completion of the European framework (hydrogen). | Direct connection of the area with innovative productive activities from electrification to digital meters |
| No substantial commitment of funds for a fair transition and dramatic cut of the green fund for the region.
| Securing funding 300 million euros per year for the next 10-15 years. |
| University downgrade excluded from recent approval 250 full-time teachers for the whole country and the threat of its disappearance with the policies of Kerameos.
| Decisive and priority strengthening of the University with recruitment, research funding and dynamic development of English-language departments and postgraduate courses. |
