Athens Mayor Haris Doukas has sharply criticized the announcements made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, arguing that Greece’s municipalities face a serious funding problem and are struggling to meet even basic payroll obligations.
Doukas also accused the government of pursuing a centralized model of governance and linked the weakening of local government to the rise of extreme political forces in Europe.
“Local government got not a dime”
Speaking to MEGANEWS 104.6, Doukas said he traveled to Thessaloniki to participate in demonstrations organized by local government representatives, arguing that the government’s announcements were not accompanied by equivalent funding for municipalities.
“I have gone up three times, and all three times the result is zero,” he said, referring to his previous participation in similar discussions.
Doukas said salary increases were justified but argued that they had not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in the central government funds allocated to municipalities.
According to Doukas, the government will provide approximately €100 million per year, while municipal payroll costs alone amount to about €170 million.
Municipal budgets under pressure
Doukas described funding as a common problem facing municipalities, saying available resources are largely sufficient only to cover basic operating and payroll obligations.
The slogan of the local government demonstrations at the Thessaloniki International Fair was “No to the bankruptcy of municipalities,” he said.
He cited the Municipality of Athens as an example. When he took office in 2024, he said, the municipality’s budget stood at €1.1 billion, while this year’s budget is projected at €650 million.
Doukas also argued that municipal fees are effectively being used to cover payroll needs, leaving municipalities with less capacity to plan and implement development projects.
Criticism of Recovery Fund allocations
The Athens mayor also criticized the way funds from Greece’s Recovery Fund have been distributed, arguing that municipalities and regional authorities received only a small share of the available financing.
He linked stronger local government to the country’s broader resilience, arguing that national preparedness is not limited to defense but also depends on infrastructure and public services that directly affect people’s daily lives.
He cited schools, roads and sidewalks as examples, saying the development and security of local communities should also be considered part of a country’s overall strength.
“The government does not believe in local government”
Doukas also criticized the government’s broader approach to local government, arguing that the country’s governing model remains highly centralized.
“The government does not believe in local government, it does not believe in decentralization. It wants centralization, it wants to control everything,” he said.
He described the government’s “executive state” model as one in which a limited number of ministers concentrate a large share of political power.
According to Doukas, this approach also raises questions about democratic governance by limiting the role of local communities in decisions that directly affect them.
Local democracy as a response to extremism
Doukas also referred to political developments in Germany, connecting the rise of the far right with the implementation of right-wing policies.
“Right-wing policies lead to the strengthening of the far right. That is the outcome,” he said while discussing developments in Saxony.
He also pointed to the presence of far-right groups on the Athens City Council, describing the situation as difficult and emphasizing the need for greater citizen participation at the neighborhood level.
Doukas argued that local government is the level at which citizens have the most direct contact with the problems affecting their communities. Strengthening what he called “neighborhood democracy,” he said, can serve as a counterweight to extremist voices and populism.
