Nikos Androulakis, leader of PASOK-Movement for Change, visited Megalopoli at midday. During a discussion with local representatives and residents, he spoke about the phase-out of lignite, pointing to the responsibilities of the governments of New Democracy and SYRIZA-ANEL.
“Some wanted to wear the ‘environmentally friendly’ suit whenever it suited them, without considering the consequences or planning how to address them. As a result, a policy that should have been implemented over time was carried out very quickly, with severe consequences for both Megalopoli and Western Macedonia. Others claimed that the phase-out of lignite would never happen and that we could leave the emissions trading system. Easy words, spoken without substance, when they knew what they were saying could not happen,” Nikos Androulakis said.
He added: “The New Democracy government is responsible both for the speed at which it chose to phase out lignite and for the failure of the Tsipras-Kammenos government to negotiate properly so that Greece could secure funding received by other European countries.”
Green transition and investment
“The pace of the phase-out of lignite should have been tied to local investment, energy investment in nationwide networks, and energy storage. Why didn’t that happen? Because they chose a green transition based on renewable energy sources whose owners are not municipalities, cooperatives, producers or local communities, but oligarchs,” he said.
Referring to the prime minister’s pledges in Megalopoli that projects in the area would create jobs, the PASOK leader commented: “Those jobs will end as soon as the project is completed. In a study, IOBE estimates that 3,100 jobs, direct and indirect, will be lost by 2029. How will they be replaced? With projects that provide temporary work and then send people back into unemployment? What is needed, therefore, is serious tax incentives to attract long-term productive investment in the primary sector, manufacturing and energy, creating permanent jobs.”
He also noted that “Megalopoli can and must remain an important energy hub, but with a different economic model: one based on renewable energy sources, energy storage, new energy technologies, equipment manufacturing and energy infrastructure. In other words, development that creates added value so that young people can stay in their home area. The land occupied by mines and former energy facilities is itself an energy asset and an asset for development. It must therefore be restored and put to use through comprehensive spatial planning, with clearly defined land uses and infrastructure to facilitate the establishment of new businesses.”