Greece’s Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou has denied claims that wind turbines are planned for the Oraiokastro area near Thessaloniki, describing such reports as misinformation and conspiracy theories.
Speaking during a visit to northern Greece, Papastavrou said the government’s new Special Spatial Planning Framework, which is currently under public consultation until the end of the month, does not permit wind turbines within the Thessaloniki metropolitan area.
“We support renewable energy, but not at any cost,” the minister said.
Addressing speculation following a recent wildfire in the area, Papastavrou stressed that no wind turbines exist in Oraiokastro, no applications have been submitted for such projects, and no future developments of that kind will be allowed.
“We are here to give a clear answer to conspiracy theories and misinformation,” he said. “There are no wind turbines in Oraiokastro, there are no applications or plans for wind turbines there, and most importantly, they are not permitted.”
Focus on water security
Papastavrou’s visit also centered on projects designed to address water scarcity and improve water infrastructure in the Thessaloniki region.
One of the main initiatives, with a budget of €12.5 million, aims to secure a reliable water supply for several communities northeast of Thessaloniki. The project is expected to provide an additional 20,000 cubic meters of water per day, meeting the needs of around 20,000 residents while having the capacity to serve up to 40,000 people in the future.
The project is intended to support population growth, eliminate the need for groundwater drilling, and ensure sufficient water supplies for a new pediatric university hospital currently under development.
Papastavrou also visited Oreokastro to inspect ongoing water infrastructure works worth €1.55 million, which include replacing aging water supply networks in nearby communities. He also toured areas recently affected by wildfire.
“Safe and affordable access to water”
The minister said the government’s long-term objective is to guarantee uninterrupted, affordable and safe access to water while strengthening the public management of water resources.
He added that improving water networks, making better use of the technical expertise of Greece’s major water utilities, and maintaining high water quality are key priorities.
Papastavrou said Greece has some of Europe’s highest-quality water resources and emphasized that preserving this standard remains a central goal of the government’s national water management strategy.
