Santorini's waste-management project has reached another milestone after the Cabinet approved the use of the special procedure under Article 7A of the Compulsory Property Expropriation Code for the necessary land acquisitions on 30 September 2026.
The decision comes as the Thira public-private partnership tender is in Phase B.I, the competitive-dialogue stage.
The project, “Design, Financing, Construction, Maintenance, Management and Operation of the Integrated Solid Waste Treatment System of Thira Island through a PPP”, is owned by the South Aegean Waste Management Agency SA and implemented by the South Aegean Region under their programme agreement.
It provides for an integrated waste-management facility for Santorini, including a recovery and recycling unit processing mixed waste, separately collected recyclables and biowaste, associated infrastructure and a residual-waste landfill.
The total budget is €39.42 million excluding VAT. Of that, €11.47 million is the contracting authority's financial contribution and €27.95 million covers payments to the private partner during operation.
The land-acquisition process began several months earlier. On 15 October 2025, in document reference 4839, the Waste Management Agency, in consultation with Thira Municipality, submitted the relevant file to the Ministry of Environment and Energy and requested the special Article 7A procedure under Law 2882/2001.
The request concerns land required for the planned facilities in Karterados and Mesaria. The procedure was chosen to accelerate acquisition and avoid delays to the project.
Meanwhile, the tender has reached Phase B and is in competitive dialogue with the four economic operators shortlisted in Phase A.
At this stage, the project's principal technical, financial and operational parameters are being examined and finalised with candidates before binding bids are submitted.
The Cabinet's decision allows two essential strands to advance in parallel: competitive dialogue and securing the land needed for construction.
The aim is a modern, integrated waste-management system capable of meeting Santorini's present and future needs.
