The proposed transfer of Building Services to the Hellenic Cadastre from 1 July dominated political discussion at the first 2026 board meeting of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece, KEDE, on Wednesday 14 January.
KEDE President Lazaros Kyrizoglou announced that municipalities were organising a challenge before the Council of State, with KEDE intervening in their support.
He argued that removing building services from local government would undermine municipalities' institutionally protected responsibilities and required a united, forceful response.
Funding rises, but needs remain
The meeting also examined local government finances.
According to the figures presented, Central Autonomous Funds for 2026 are increasing from €156 million to €164 million a month, approximately 5%. The increase was welcomed but considered insufficient to meet municipalities' growing needs.
Revenue from shores and beaches
Particular attention was paid to the return of revenue from shores and beaches to municipalities.
Participants noted that Article 93 of Law 5264/2025 allocates 60% of the relevant revenue for 2024 and 2025 to municipalities, with the process in its final stages.
e-Kouros and municipal sport
Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sport Giannis Vroutsis attended and presented e-Kouros, a digital system for collecting and analysing data on each municipality's sporting activity.
KEDE described such tools as useful for targeted local sports-policy planning.
Environment and energy
The updated National Air Pollution Control Programme was presented, with emphasis on municipalities' role in meeting national energy and climate targets.
The meeting also referred to the Apollon programme, which local authorities were expected to join at a later stage.
Interior Ministry Secretaries-General Savvas Chionidis and Athanasios Balerbas also attended, alongside officials from the sports administration.
