The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy has ignited a fierce national debate after putting forward a draft bill that would allow construction in Natura 2000 protected natural areas while simultaneously extending deadlines to legalize unauthorized structures in forests, parks, and even ski resorts.
Opening the door to Natura 2000 development
The most controversial aspect of the legislation, which opened for public consultation this week, involves land-use changes within the Natura 2000 network—the European Union’s flagship system for protecting vital wildlife habitats.
Under the new proposal, urban development would be permitted in zones classified as “Sustainable Natural Resource Management Areas” that border existing town or city limits. While the government maintains that development will be strictly regulated, the move represents a significant shift in environmental policy.
Key constraints for Natura development:
- Compatibility: Projects must be deemed compatible with an approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and must not degrade the surrounding habitat.
- A “20% Cap”: No more than one-fifth of any protected zone can be opened for development.
An amnesty for illegal structures
The bill pairs these development incentives with a broad amnesty for unauthorized buildings—a chronic and politically sensitive issue in Greece. The legislation grants a series of deadline extensions, effectively shielding illegal structures from demolition until at least December 31, 2027.
- Municipalities have until the end of 2027 to secure approvals for unauthorized structures within public parks and green spaces.
- Livestock facilities, monasteries, and game farms operating without permits in forested areas are brought under the legalization umbrella.
- Ski resorts and their mechanical installations—whose previous grace period expired in 2025—have been granted another chance to regularize their status.
- Unmanned mountain refuges and tourist facilities on state-owned forest land will be retroactively recognized as legal through administrative orders.
Cutting through “forest map” deadlock
The draft also seeks to unblock a paralyzed real estate market. For years, thousands of property sales have been frozen due to disputes over national forest maps, which determine a plot’s legal status.
Currently, obtaining a forest classification certificate can take years. The new bill introduces a pragmatic, if controversial, workaround: owners whose objections have been accepted by a review committee can now proceed with sales using only that decision and a topographic diagram.
Critics argue this allows land to change hands before its ultimate legal status is fully settled, but proponents see it as a necessary step to clear a massive bureaucratic backlog.
Related: WWF Accuses Greece of Failing to Protect Natura 2000 Sites