Dialogos

Viras: Citizens Will Pay for Decades of Waste Management Mistakes

Published February 19, 2026, 09:02
Viras: Citizens Will Pay for Decades of Waste Management Mistakes

The president of the Union of Municipalities, Andreas Vyras, denounced that citizens will be financially burdened for decades of mistakes in waste management. He argued that the government is imposing taxes to cover deficiencies resulting from the failure to implement the “Pay-as-you-throw” system and the lack of suitable waste processing facilities. Mr. Vyras refutes assurances that citizens will not be burdened, pointing out that the municipalities will not be able to cover the cost of the new tax. He noted that a large percentage of waste is landfilled (80% in Pentakomo, 60% in Koshi) and there are no plans to reduce this amount. Furthermore, Mr. Vyras stated that the 25 million euros allocated by the government to the municipalities are insufficient, even for a single province, and that the government has been aware of the deficiencies in waste management for years. Mr. Vyras announced that a meeting will be held with the parties to discuss the issue and hold those responsible accountable for the situation.