A substantial part of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece's proposals has been incorporated into the draft new Local Government Code, according to a detailed memorandum sent by KEDE President Lazaros Kyrizoglou to mayors and local government representatives.
KEDE sets out which observations the Interior Ministry accepted and where disagreements remain. It continues to seek changes that it argues would improve municipalities' effectiveness and democratic operation.
Changes accepted following KEDE's interventions
The accepted proposals include holding local elections on the last Sunday of November; allowing candidate lists to increase their supplementary candidate numbers by up to 150%, as analysed by airetos.gr; retaining unpaid deputy mayors; permitting municipal councils to meet outside the municipality's administrative seat; allowing urgent decisions by circulation; and anonymising personal data in publicly posted meeting minutes.
They also include the possibility of municipal financial assistance of up to €3,000 for the birth of a child to registered municipal citizens and permanent residents.
KEDE also welcomes the provision that every new responsibility transferred to local authorities should come with the corresponding financial and human resources.
Disagreements that remain
Several central local government proposals were not accepted.
KEDE expresses strong reservations about municipal councillors being allowed to become independent and form new groups; the absence of mandatory provision for council videoconferences; and retaining accountability meetings every four months rather than every six months.
It also objects to a provision allowing the Interior Ministry to intervene where a municipality is considered to be unjustifiably failing to exercise a responsibility. KEDE describes the wording as legally vague.
Another concern is the lack of meaningful provision for small mountain and island municipalities.
The union also insists that local government should have a stronger role in spatial and environmental decisions, seeking a binding municipal opinion on critical matters.
Message to the Interior Ministry
In his letter, Mr Kyrizoglou notes that “many proposals were accepted”, but makes clear that KEDE will continue pressing for the remaining changes before the final Local Government Code is formally tabled.
