Thanasis Kontogeorgis, Greece's deputy minister to the prime minister, said 330 flagship projects will be delivered across the country's regions during 2026 and 2027, as part of the government's regional development strategy.
In an article published in the Sunday newspaper Kyriakatiki Apogevmatini, Kontogeorgis said regional development is not just another individual government policy but a condition for economic and social cohesion and a prerequisite for the country's next stage of growth.
Projects Planned Years Ago Now Reaching Completion
Kontogeorgis said 2026 and 2027 carry particular significance because a large number of projects designed and funded in previous years are now being completed and handed over to local communities. He said the 330 projects are not simply numbers in a government schedule but works that change daily life and the development prospects of entire regions.
He said this is the essence of the government's regional policy, that development should have a specific location, timetable and result, and should be measured not only by national indicators but by the real opportunities created for people who choose to live and work in every corner of the country.
New National Strategy and Local Development Plans
Kontogeorgis said completing current projects is only one side of the planning, with the other being preparation for what comes next. He said the government is using 50 Local Development Plans to shape a single National Strategy for Regional and Local Development, linking national priorities with the actual needs of each area.
Looking Ahead to the EU's Next Budget Period
Kontogeorgis said this work forms the basis for preparing Greece's national and regional partnership plan ahead of the new European Union Multiannual Financial Framework covering 2028 to 2034. He said the major challenge for Greece in the next European period is to combine competitiveness with convergence, ensuring that development leaves no region behind.
