Regions need more revenue
[AP]
The recent disasters, wildfires and flooding, raised questions about the effectiveness of regional and local authorities to combat them.
Greece’s 13 regions, set up and given extensive powers, on paper, are tasked, among other things, to run and maintain infrastructure. But a cursory looks shows that they are starved of resources to do so.
The regions’ combined budgets for 2023 were €4.125 billion; the vast majority comes either through direct state grants or EU aid, again transferred through the state.
A recent study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that local authorities’ tax revenue is 0.9% of GDP in Greece versus 6.2% in the EU.
