Thessaloniki / They modified the study for the flyover after the CoE

The environment ministry amended the environmental impact study for the flyover after the meeting at the Council of State (Council of State) on the two applications for the suspension of the works submitted by civil associations and before the decision was issued.

With a document brought to light by organizations that oppose the construction of the flyover, it appears that the decision to increase the area to be logged in the Sheikh Sou forest was taken on 18/4/2024, i.e. two days after the hearing at the SC of the two applications for suspension which had been filed by the Association of Residents of Constantinople on the one hand and the Association for the Protection of Sheikh Sou and the Association of Health Runners of Thessaloniki on the other.

At the beginning of the week, when the case was heard, it became known that the area to be logged in Sheikh Soo, as part of the project, is more than double what was known until now. Specifically, while until now it was known that 82,000 square meters were going to be logged, the forest office in a recent document informed the Council of Ministers that the actual area that will be logged is 187,000 square meters. This difference, as confirmed by both the contractor company and the State during the discussion at the CoE, lies in incorrect technical calculations of the initial study.

Carelessness in planning

Of course, in the document amending the environmental study, it is stated that the area to be logged was originally calculated at 132 acres, an element that is in complete contradiction to what was known until now. This for the residents and the agencies that react to the project also reveals the sloppiness of the government’s planning.

Throughout the previous period, with their public interventions, the citizens, the associations, the bodies that oppose the specific project have presented a series of problematic parameters, pointing out its serious environmental, transport and social effects. They have also highlighted the problematic planning of the government, which is proceeding with a project that will cost the Greek State exorbitant sums without the prescribed studies.

The latest move by the Ministry of Environment to amend the environmental study two days after the debate in the CoE is interpreted by the people who oppose the project as an attempt to prevent the government from issuing the decision of the Supreme Court, which is expected to be issued immediately. Of course, the question is which study will the SC make a decision on: the study against which the clubs appealed or the modified study?

It is recalled that, in addition to the decision on the requests to suspend the work, the main trial of the requests to cancel the project is pending, which has been determined for May 22 after a postponement given due to the late submission of a file by the competent Ministry of the Environment.