Greek Municipalities Clash with Government Over Planning Powers

Greece’s government is preparing to strip municipalities of their control over local planning departments, known as Urban Planning Services, and place them under the national land registry (Ktimatologio) from 2026. The plan, announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Thessaloniki International Fair, has triggered an open confrontation with local authorities.

Under the proposal, responsibilities for issuing and checking building permits would be removed from municipalities and centralized in the Ktimatologio, which collects all geospatial data on property in Greece. The government argues the change will streamline procedures, reduce corruption, and bring planning and land records into a single digital framework.

The move would also involve shifting the Ktimatologio from the Ministry of Digital Governance back to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which oversees spatial and urban planning. A return to the structure of “Ktimatologio SA” is also being considered, giving the agency greater flexibility in hiring staff to address long-standing understaffing issues.

Mayors, however, are pushing back strongly. The Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) has declared the government’s plan a “casus belli,” accusing Athens of using corruption as a pretext to seize powers that shape the character of cities. KEDE leaders say the initiative is designed to limit municipal influence after court rulings in their favor against government building bonuses.

Local authorities are preparing legal action at the Council of State, Greece’s top administrative court. “This is a cause for war,” said KEDE vice president Grigoris Konstantellos, warning of a full-scale legal and political fight. A legal team is already drafting challenges to block the reform.

Government officials acknowledge the transition is at an early stage and faces hurdles, from staffing transfers to lack of office space at registry branches. Still, they argue the reform will speed up building approvals, ensure uniform enforcement of planning laws, and improve efficiency for citizens and engineers. Staff transfers from municipalities to the Ktimatologio would be voluntary and incentivized, with a gradual rollout to ensure continuity.

Authorities also stress that dialogue with local government representatives will follow, with the aim of shaping a reform that serves the public interest. While planning permits and enforcement would move under national control, broader urban planning and zoning responsibilities would remain at the municipal level.