Kalliopi Vetta: The requests of the Municipal District Heating Companies are timely and fair

The MP P.E. Kozanis and Head of Tourism SYRIZA P.S. Mr. Kalliopi Vetta spoke to the Standing Committee on Production and Trade in the discussion of the draft law of the Ministry of Energy, which includes regulations, among others, for district heating, energy communities and small photovoltaic plants.

At the meeting, representatives of organizations from all over the country were invited, while from Western Macedonia the Mayor of Kozani, Mr. Yiannis Kokkaliaris, and the President of the Association of Photovoltaic Investors of the Western Macedonia Region, Mr. Fotis Zygouris, participated. It is recalled that Mrs. Vetta had requested from the Bureau of the Committee that the Municipal Enterprises of Ptolemaida and Amyntaio be invited as well, however, by decision of the parliamentary majority, only the corresponding one of Kozani was chosen.

In her statement, Mrs. Vetta, addressing the Mayor of Kozani, pointed out that the region is experiencing record unemployment, immigration, impoverishment, demographic collapse and economic decline, while in the field of district heating there are chronic questions, gaps and major problems.

Therefore, in order to stop this development, he agreed that all the requests of the Municipality should be implemented to extend the operational support from 10 to 15 years, maintain an average gas price, change the way the support is calculated, extend the heating season and implementation of virtual energy netting to ensure that district heating will be sustainable, uninterrupted and affordable for citizens.

Then, addressing Mr. Zygouris, she asked for clarification on whether there is and what is the added value to the per capita income of the citizens from the projects of the large groups favored by the government, contrary to the logic of energy democracy and pluralism development.

At the same time, he asked for his opinions on whether the legal and technical change is sufficient for the exceptional extension of the small projects of Western Macedonia announced by Deputy Minister Ms. Sdoukou, after the highlighting and request of Ms. Vetta at the first meeting of the Committee.

In their responses, the agencies confirmed that the support is fragmented and incomplete at a time when the economy, equality and legal security in the region are at risk, while the President of S.EP.F.PE. of Western Macedonia, in particular, stated that the extension of the exemption is not sufficient as, from 2021 onwards – with successive provisions favoring large groups – they are excluded from the electricity system, which is the main demand for small producers.

In conclusion, after the positions of the agencies and their answers, it was shown that the violent depolitization and the discriminatory legislation of the government, created a period of exclusions, obstacles and difficulties with which the local community constantly struggles, without any substantial support and care.