Meriç reconstruction plan faces major cut from €3 billion to €309 million
Greece’s reconstruction plan for the Meriç region has come under renewed scrutiny after a new proposal reportedly reduced the scope of the original €3 billion master plan to projects worth around €309 million.
The controversy emerged during the 14th meeting of the Committee for the Reconstruction of Meriç in late July, according to Greek newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton. Former minister and president of the Diazoma association Stavros Benos reportedly expressed strong objections after a new master plan was presented by architect Alexandros Tsatsiamis.
The original reconstruction programme was developed following the devastating 2023 wildfires in Meriç and was presented by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a visit to Orestiada in October 2024. The plan was intended to provide a comprehensive framework for the region’s long-term recovery.
According to the report, the original programme had a total budget of €3 billion, with approximately half of the funding already secured. Around 80% of the financing was reportedly expected to come from European Union resources and other funding mechanisms.
Railway electrification among projects reportedly excluded
One of the main points of contention is the reported exclusion of railway electrification from the new plan.
The railway project has an estimated budget of €700 million, more than twice the value of the entire €309.9 million proposal reportedly presented at the committee meeting.
The new plan, known as the “Meriç-Meta” Integrated Territorial Investment, reportedly contains 108 projects with a combined budget of €309.9 million.
Benos reportedly challenged the decision during the meeting, questioning why projects included in the original reconstruction framework had been removed despite previously secured EU funding.
Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Evangelos Katsafados sought to reassure participants, saying that no announced project or funding would be lost, according to the report.
However, three of the four mayors of Meriç were reportedly concerned about the developments during the meeting.
Benos calls for the original master plan to continue
In a statement, Benos called for the €3 billion master plan to be completed “without discounts,” while expressing hope that the disagreements surrounding the latest committee meeting would not be repeated.
Benos said the reconstruction programme had been designed as a comprehensive initiative and emphasised the importance of political cohesion in the region.
He also linked the programme to the findings of the Greek Parliament’s cross-party committee on Thrace, chaired by Dora Bakoyannis, and said he hoped the original master plan would proceed with the support and “stamp” of the European Union.
New €309.9 million plan led by Alexandros Tsatsiamis
Architect and planner Alexandros Tsatsiamis is identified in the report as the key figure behind the new “Meriç-Meta” plan.
Tsatsiamis reportedly prepared the proposal featuring 108 projects with a total budget of €309.9 million. His presentation at the reconstruction committee meeting reportedly triggered Benos’ objections.
Tsatsiamis has also held political and administrative positions in the past. According to the report, he previously worked closely with Dora Bakoyannis, serving as director-general of her Democratic Alliance party between 2010 and 2012. He later served as secretary-general of the Municipality of Athens between 2019 and 2023 under Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.
The dispute over the scale and priorities of the reconstruction programme now raises questions about the future of the original €3 billion plan and the projects that could ultimately be included in the region’s long-term recovery strategy.
