During his meeting with the Governor of Western Greece, Nektarios Farmakis, the Minister announced the launch of implementation of the photovoltaic park of the Region’s energy communities—an initiative that has long been a standing request of local authorities and has secured European funding. As he noted, the project is expected to contribute to reducing energy costs for approximately 700,000 citizens of Western Greece, with particular emphasis on supporting the agricultural sector.
For his part, Mr. Farmakis described the project as a substantial development tool for the Region, stressing that farmers will benefit directly through reduced irrigation costs, by making use of land improvement organizations. As he pointed out, this is an intervention with a clear social and economic impact, strengthening both income levels and the sustainability of agricultural production.
Delivery of Flood Protection Projects in the Fire-Affected Areas of Achaia
Earlier, the Minister took part in the handover ceremony for restoration and flood protection works in the fire-affected areas of Patras and the wider region of Achaia, just six months after the major wildfire of August. The projects were implemented in the presence of the Governor of Western Greece and the Secretary General for Forests, Stathis Stathopoulos.
The interventions in the Meilichos stream were carried out by Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon, following a €1 million donation from the Coca-Cola HBC Foundation, and concern forest and woodland areas covering a total of 7,933 stremmas in Achaia. Works on the Peiros–Antipeiros stream have already been delivered to the competent Forest Service, while works on the Meilichos stream are expected to be completed within February.
In his statements, Mr. Papastavrou emphasized that flood protection and anti-erosion projects constitute tangible proof of the continuity of state responsibility following natural disasters, noting that the State must move beyond crisis management toward strengthening resilience and prevention. At the same time, he underlined the importance of cooperation among central government, local authorities, forest services, and the private sector.
From the side of Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon, the General Manager for Greece and Cyprus, Svetoslav Atanasov, noted that the projects were implemented rapidly due to their urgent nature, reaffirming the company’s commitment to supporting local communities and enhancing their resilience through targeted sustainability initiatives.