Greece allocates €68 million for two new prisons near Kassaveteia
Greece has approved €68 million in funding for the construction of two new correctional facilities near the Kassaveteia agricultural prison complex in the Almyros area of Magnesia, with a combined capacity of 800 inmates.
The projects are included in the country’s 2026–2030 National Development Programme, while preparatory and tendering procedures are being carried out by KTIP S.A., the state-owned construction and property management company.
The first project, the Thessaly II Correctional Facility, has a budget of €35 million and will accommodate up to 400 inmates. It is planned for a site of approximately 170 acres at the “Kassaveteia Prison Estate” in the Aidinio area.
Planning and building regulations for the site were established through a joint ministerial decision issued in 2003. According to the authorities, the publication of the decision serves as a building permit, which remains valid. KTIP confirmed the validity following a review conducted in May 2026.
The Ministry of Citizen Protection has requested that the project be included in KTIP’s programme for 2026 and subsequent years.
Separate facility planned for young inmates and minors
The second project concerns the Kassaveteia Special Correctional Facility for Young People and Minors, with a budget of €33 million and a total capacity of 400 inmates.
The facility is planned to include 250 places for young people and 150 places for minors. It is expected to occupy approximately 125 acres in the Aidinio area, which has already been designated for the construction of a correctional facility for minors.
According to documentation from the Volos Planning Department, the existing planning framework and building regulations remain in force and allow construction of the facility.
However, additional approvals will be required before a building permit can be issued because an adjacent area has been designated as an archaeological site.
NO CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE ANNOUNCED
Although funding has been approved and preparatory procedures are underway, authorities have not announced a specific timetable for the start or completion of either project.
The planned facilities form part of wider discussions about prison infrastructure and inmate services in the Thessaly region.
During a meeting between Magnesia Deputy Regional Governor Papadimitriou and the minister responsible for citizen protection, officials also discussed infrastructure improvements funded by the Region of Thessaly at the Volos Juvenile Institution.
The repairs have been completed, and the deputy minister reportedly expressed satisfaction with the results during the meeting.
Papadimitriou also presented a regional initiative to purchase and install modern dental equipment at four correctional facilities across Thessaly. The project aims to improve access to dental care for inmates.
According to the regional authority, the infrastructure and healthcare initiatives are intended to support prisoners’ rights and social reintegration, while highlighting the need for continued cooperation among the institutions involved.
