Benos resigns, warns fragmented effort could undermine reconstruction

A dispute has erupted over the post-fire recovery strategy for Meriç (Evros), with former PASOK minister Stavros Benos resigning from the "Special Committee for the Development and Reconstruction of Evros" and warning that the region’s recovery could falter without a unified, long-term plan.

Benos announced his resignation Wednesday in Sofullu (Soufli), citing “personal dignity” and accusing authorities of moving away from the master plan developed by him and his NGO, Diazoma.

His departure follows a committee meeting in Nea Vyssa in late July, where he said significant changes to the original strategy became apparent.

€309.9 million plan draws criticism

Benos said the original recovery framework had been replaced by an Integrated Territorial Investment involving 108 projects with a total budget of €309.9 million.

He said the figure represented a reduction of about €2.69 billion from the government’s initial commitments and that he had been surprised by the scale of the changes.

“Initially he gave me everything, then he took everything back,” Benos said, referring to his cooperation with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He said he had agreed to assist the effort as a volunteer but later faced a counterproposal that, in his view, effectively sidelined the plan he had developed.

Benos questioned how such a major change had been allowed to emerge, saying he had spent weeks trying to determine who was responsible.

Governor says projects will proceed

Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis attended the news conference and rejected suggestions that the reconstruction effort was being abandoned.

Topsidis said major infrastructure projects, including railway and port investments, would proceed, while emphasizing that the central government would retain responsibility for their implementation.

He also said the €309.9 million investment plan did not replace the region’s broader long-term development strategy.

Benos calls for unified approach

Benos argued that securing billions of euros would not guarantee Meriç (Evros’) recovery if funding and projects remained fragmented.

He criticized what he described as a lack of understanding among officials of integrated development programs, insufficient recognition of the role of local government and the persistence of what he called a “deep state that refuses to repent.”

Despite his resignation, Benos said Diazoma would continue working in Meriç (Evros).

He also called on the government and opposition parties to treat the region’s reconstruction as a national priority rather than a partisan dispute.

Source:Kathimerini