7.2.13
The European Commission Task Force for Greece is expected to impose new fines for the 396 illegal landfill sites still operating. The head of Task Force’s local government reform department Georgette Lali explained that unless the creation of new waste management plants is complete and the illegal landfill sites shut down, the Commission will demand the funds be returned.
Mrs. Lali also noted that Greece has been condemned from the period when there were 2000 illegal landfill sites and that the European Commission is about to take Greece to the European Courts for a second time, for non-compliance with the first decision. Mrs. Lali explained that local government will be liable for new fines, as the laws have changed.
Mrs. Lali asked municipalities of Central Macedonia to have open landfills and to take measures for their closing down and restoration. She also asked that they take necessary measures so that no new landfills begin operating, since Commission services regularly note citizen and resident accusations of new, unsupervised landfill sites operating.
