The transition to the post-lignite era is not just about energy and investment. It is primarily about the people who are being called upon to adapt to a new economic model in regions that have depended on lignite for decades.
With this in mind, the managing authority of the Just Transition Program is launching a €27.57 million initiative for 3,000 unemployed people aged 18 to 30, aiming to address one of the biggest challenges facing these regions. Youth unemployment and the brain drain.
The initiative covers the regional units of Kozani, Florina, and Grevena, the Municipality of Kastoria, Megalopolis, and neighboring municipalities in the Peloponnese, as well as dozens of small islands in the North and South Aegean and Crete that are included in the Just Transition territorial plans.
Beneficiaries will be placed in full-time positions for 7 months at businesses in these regions. The monthly stipend corresponds to the minimum wage, and bonuses, vacation pay, and all social security contributions are also covered. The total cost per position is currently estimated at 9,191 euros, or 1,313 euros per month.
Unlike traditional employment subsidy programs, companies that hire young people do not receive any financial support. Funding is directed exclusively to the beneficiaries through the Regional Employment Agency (DYPA). At the same time, companies are required to retain their existing staff and may not replace existing jobs with program participants.
The allocation of resources reflects the significance of the phase-out of lignite in Western Macedonia, which absorbs 60% of the total budget, while Megalopolis receives 20% and the island regions of the Aegean and Crete the remaining 20%.
The initiative comes in response to high youth unemployment rates in transition regions. According to the call for proposals, youth unemployment among 15- to 29-year-olds in Western Macedonia stands at 13.5%, significantly higher than the national average of 9.8%. The official goal of the program is for at least 2,000 of the 3,000 participants to be employed immediately upon its completion.
Proposals for participation in the initiative must be submitted via the OPS at the email address http://logon.ops.gr starting on 06/30/2026 (the start date for proposal submission) through the OPS at the email address http://logon.ops.gr, exclusively until August 14, 2026, which is the deadline for proposal submission.