The implementation of an action to redevelop part of the Refugee Houses complex of Alexandra Avenue in Athens has begun, the Deputy Minister of National Economy, N. Papathanasis.
In response to a topical question by New Left MP, Eucles. Tsakalotos, Papathanasis said that the action is for a total budget of 12 million euros, and its first phase includes the development and reconstruction of four of the eight refugee houses owned by Prefecture of Attica.
All citizens of this country have the same rights and we want to create conditions of decent living for families, for young people, elderly people with low income, for unemployed who rejoin the market-work, but also for accompanying patients of St. Sava,” said Mr. Papathanasis.
For his part, Mr. Tsakalotos said that the contract is illegal because there was no consultation with the people who “have taken their lives in their hands” in the “refugee” situation. “We cannot talk in 2026 about replacing populations. Take out those who are there and bring in others,” he said, and called for “a suspension of the contract until the laws are respected, until there is consultation with these people.”
In response, Mr. Papathanasis said that there is a designated Monitoring Committee for the Attica 2021-2027 programme, which includes representatives of economic and social partners and civil society organisations, and that the managing authority of the programme explicitly takes into account the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights.
