Kouretas at Trikala Farmers’ Blockade: “Where Did the €50 Million for Thessaly’s Water Projects Go?”

At the farmers’ blockade at the E65 junction in Trikala, Thessaly’s Governor, Dimitris Koureta, raised a politically sensitive issue: the fate of €50 million that, according to him, was allocated by the Hellenic Bank Association (HBA) for studies related to Thessaly’s water management challenges.

Koureta was clear and sharp:“We need answers on where the €50 million from the Bank Association went,” he said, publicly bringing attention to an issue that had not received this level of visibility until now. According to him, only €7–8 million was reportedly spent on the studies, while the company responsible for the project handed over the keys and left three months ago.

For a region that has suffered massive damage from the “Daniel” floods and chronically lacks a coherent water management plan, these questions carry significant political weight.

Farmers on the brink – “A fight for survival”

The Governor did not limit himself to the funding issue. He openly expressed his support for farmers and livestock breeders engaged in protests, describing their struggle as: “A fight for survival.”

With production costs skyrocketing, many farmers are on the edge, while – as he stressed – the state often chooses to support other entities, including individuals with ongoing legal cases. There were also reports of producers facing not only financial suffocation but also repression.

No infrastructure, no future

Central to the discussion were major irrigation projects and modern irrigation infrastructure, considered essential by all participants.

Thessaly remains one of the country’s most productive regions, but climate change and lack of planning threaten its agricultural identity. Koureta referenced two master plans for Karditsa and Volos, to be delivered at the end of the month, reminding that the Pinios master plan has already been tendered – yet the gap from the missing funds remains unresolved.

The unresolved political question

The phrase that defines the political dimension of the issue:“Let them tell us where the money is.”

The demand for transparency concerns not only the Region and the agricultural sector but also the broader political debate on how critical funds for protecting life, the environment, and production are managed.

Statistics – Thessaly’s situation in numbers

For journalistic reference (non-official):

• €50 million: The amount allegedly committed by the HBA for water-related studies.
• €7–8 million: The amount reportedly spent on the studies.

• €40 million: The “gap” whose destination is being questioned.

• ~€1 billion: Estimated total damages in Thessaly from storm “Daniel” (various sources).
• Thousands of farmers and livestock breeders: Engaged in protests across Thessaly, Macedonia, and Central Greece.
• Major irrigation projects pending: More than 12 key infrastructures either unfinished or not yet started.

Source: pagenews.gr