Manos Konsolas, President of the Hellenic Parliament’s Committee on Regions and Member of Parliament for the Dodecanese, spoke at a conference organized by the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government (EETAA), focusing on island policy and local governance. He emphasized the need to revise the criteria for the allocation of EU funds, proposing that factors such as high transportation costs, lack of infrastructure, limited competitiveness, and digital lag be considered. This would allow island regions to be classified as less developed areas, making them eligible for increased funding.
He presented a proposal to the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development (REGI) for the post-2027 EU Cohesion Policy. The proposal calls for the creation of a new Regional Fund that would consolidate existing Structural Funds, providing more resources to Greece and its islands. This funding would be based on a National Regional Development Plan for each country, approved by the European Commission, similar to the Recovery Fund.
Konsolas also outlined proposals to strengthen local government in island regions:
- Revising the allocation of Central Autonomous Funds (CAF) to provide more financial support to island municipalities.
- Establishing new rules for organizational structures and offering special salary incentives to attract skilled personnel.
- Creating a dedicated agency to handle project management and procurement for small island municipalities lacking staff, thus enabling them to absorb resources and implement projects.
Finally, he raised the prospect of a metropolitan governance model for the island space, which would enhance inter-municipal cooperation and help resolve a range of issues.
Mr. Konsolas concluded by stating that while discussing public policies for island regions is important, securing financial tools to support these policies is even more critical.
