Press release Dynamo Kythira 12 May 2025

Although protected areas play a very important role in biodiversity conservation, the country does not show comparable respect for their protection, resulting in its condemnation by the European Court of Justice (C – 849/19/17.12.2020), as it violated its obligations by not establishing for years the necessary measures (management plans, special environmental studies – S.E.S. and regulatory acts) for protecting species and habitats of the Natura 2000 network. When Special Environmental Studies (S.E.S.) have not been prepared and the relevant Presidential Decrees for protection have not been issued, the location of energy activities within these areas can only pose very serious risks.

After the condemnation of the Hellenic Republic by the European Court, the Ministry of Environment and Energy proceeded with the preparation of Special Environmental Studies for the Natura 2000 network areas of the country. On 28-10-2023, the Special Environmental Study (S.E.S.) concerning the protected Natura 2000 network areas of the Attica Region was put up for public consultation on the ministry’s website, with the title:

S.E.S. 7a: Group of areas of Regional Units of Northern Sector, Western Sector, Central Sector, Southern Sector, Piraeus, Islands, Eastern Attica, and Western Attica.

The public consultation lasted until 28-9-2023 and subsequently received an extension until 20-10-2023.

According to the study, the geographical location of Kythera, in southwestern Greece, at the southernmost tip of the Balkan Peninsula, is a very important “migratory bottleneck” in the central-eastern Mediterranean for millions of birds making their annual migration during spring months from wintering areas in the African Continent to Eurasia and vice versa during autumn. The production of energy from industrial wind farms should be prohibited in the Natura 2000 network areas of the island (and across the entire island according to the researchers) as it is entirely incompatible with its environmental value and poses a significant threat to the protected subjects.

On 11-4-25, a Environmental Impact Assessment Study (E.I.S.) is submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Energy by the consortium TERNA ENERGY A.B.E.T.E-VECTOR WIND PARKS OF GREECE with the distinctive title WIND PARK TROULLOS O.E. for the project “Complex of three (3) Wind Farms (WR) with total installed capacity of 135MW and maximum delivered power of 131.42MW at locations ‘KARVOUNOLAKKOS – FOINIKIES’ (31.5 MW), ‘KORDELIDES’ (51.96 MW) & ‘XEROKAMPIA’ (47.9MW)”, which due to its size belongs to the most “heavy” category of projects for licensing, Category A1. It is worth noting that this is currently the only Category A1 project in the entire Attica region. It involves 30 wind turbines with a capacity of 4.5MW, a rotor diameter of 136m, a tower height of 82m, and a total capacity of 135 MW! According to the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) of the Kythera Municipality, the island’s electricity needs are 4 megawatts.

Beyond the Special Environmental Study, which has not been approved by the competent Secretary-General for over a year and a half, we must additionally point out that energy projects of this scale are not recommended by the researchers developing the Local Urban Planning Scheme for Kythera, as they are based on the conclusions of the already prepared S.E.S. The Local Urban Planning Scheme is also ratified by Presidential Decree, like the S.E.S.

Simultaneously, the revision of the special spatial framework for renewable energy sources has been pending for many years and has long been considered outdated.

And the reasonable question arises: IS IT EVER POSSIBLE FOR THE MINISTRY TO LICENSE A PROJECT FOR WHICH, IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME, THERE WILL BE AT LEAST TWO PRESIDENTIAL DECREES THAT WILL EXPLICITLY PROHIBIT IT?

The local community denounces the delay in approving the Special Environmental Study and the subsequent signing of the corresponding Presidential Decree, which, with absolute clarity and documentation, excludes the creation of industrial wind farms in the Natura 2000 network areas of the island, such as those planned by the energy group MASDAR, which very recently acquired TERNA Energy. It is clear that governmental negligence favors the plans of this specific company.