A positive outcome for the future of biodiversity and the restoration of the burnt area of Evros, followed the decisive rejection by the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace of eleven applications for environmental permits for wind farms. Six of the eleven wind farms were planned within the burnt area of Evros and five in neighboring unburnt forest areas, which, however, are crusial habitats for the protected birds of prey.

This summer, the Society for the Protection of Biodiversity of Thrace sounded the alarm for five wind farms planned in the burnt area of Evros (two wind farms) and in the neighboring unburnt areas (3 wind farms).There was even one planned right on top of an area where a reforestation project is in progress and where 48,000 (approx.) seedlings have already been planted. It is notable that all the wind farms belong to the same company (the Danish European Wind Farms), which is planning a total of 217 wind turbines in Evros, most of which have already been submitted for environmental licensing.

Against the over two years of criminal - from an environmental point of view - indifference of the Ministry of Environment to regulate the legislation for the licensing process of wind farms in Evros, the Decentralized Administration decided to terminate the problematic planning of wind farms by the Danish company, which is not concerned about the burnt area and the impact of wind farms on the restoration of the natural ecosystems. The company is even disregarding the approved Special Environmental Study (SES), as many of their projects are proposed to be installed within Nature Protection Zones, where their installation is not permitted.

We welcome these decisions by the Decentralized Administration, which are favorable for the natural environment of Evros, and we expect that it will soon do the same for the remaining 11 wind farms of the Danish company for which the licensing process remains open, as well as for similar applications that may be submitted in the future. We hope that in the meantime the Ministry of Environment will take action and will not continue letting the decentralized authorities "taking the bull by the horns" on such critical issues!

More information: 

1. The 11 wind farms that have been rejected by the Decentralized Administration are:
   • “AMPELIA 1” within the burnt area in the municipal unit of Traianoupolis, Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The licensing process has been stopped
   • “AMPELIA 2” within the burnt area in the municipal unit of Traianoupolis, Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The licensing process has been stopped.
   • “GERAKI” within the burnt area in the municipal unit of Traianoupolis, Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The licensing process has been stopped.
   • “MESOLOFOS” within the burnt area in the municipal unit of Feres, Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The licensing process has been stopped.
   • “PROFITIS ILIAS” within the burnt area in the municipal unit of Traianoupolis, Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The licensing process has been stopped.
   • “CHYLOS” within the burnt area in the municipal unit of Traianoupolis, Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The licensing process has been stopped.
   • “Vrysi” out of the burnt area in the municipal unit of Feres, Municipality of Alexandroupolis, but within critical habitats and within the Nature Protection Zone based on the approved Special Environmental Study. The licensing process has been stopped.
   • “LEFKI” out of the burnt area in the municipal unit of Orfeas, Municipality of Soufli, but within critical habitats and within the Nature Protection Zone based on the approved Special Environmental Study. The license application was rejected.
   • “AGKATHEA” out of the burnt area in the municipal unit of Orfeas, Municipality of Soufli, but within critical habitats and within the Nature Protection Zone based on the approved Special Environmental Study. The license application was rejected.
   • “PSEFTIS” out of the burnt area in the municipal unit of Orfeas, Municipality of Soufli, but within critical habitats and within the Nature Protection Zone based on the approved Special Environmental Study. The license application was rejected.
   • “DRAKOS” out of the burnt area in the municipal unit of Orfeas, Municipality of Soufli, but within critical habitats and within the Nature Protection Zone based on the approved Special Environmental Study. The license application was rejected.
2. • This terrible confusion could have been avoided if the Ministry of Environment was not procrastinated on taking immediate and concrete legislative measures to regulate the licensing of wind farms in Evros and Rodopi after the 2023 fire. The Ministry just announced restrictions, without any legal basis, even though it already has all the information/data needed to ensure (by legislation) the restoration of the burnt natural ecosystems against threats such as wind farms. This includes:
   • o the proposal of the nine environmental organisations that was sent to the Ministry in October 2023 and since then there is no response,
   • the study announced by the Ministry that would specify the terms and conditions for the further licensing of wind farms, which was completed in July 2024. Since then, the study remains “buried in the Ministry’s drawers” and was not even sent to the competent authorities

In the meantime, investors keep planning their projects and piling up dozens of applications for environmental permits, which the administration and the competent authorities have to decide on, without any guidance from the Ministry.

• On 26 September 2023, the Minister of Environment and Energy announced the suspension of economic activities in the fire-affected area of Evros, however, almost two years later, appropriate and adequate measures have not yet been taken on this issue.The Minister's announcement is available (in Greek) here.
• On 27 October 2023, nine environmental organisations sent an urgent letter to the Ministry of Environment with specific and well-founded proposals, calling on the Ministry to suspend by legislation for at least three years potentially harmful projects (not beneficial ones) and activities within the burnt areas and, in particular for wind energy projects to suspend them also in the adjacent, bird-critical areas of Evros and Rhodope. The letter is available (in Greek) here.
• On 6 November 2023, the Minister of Environment, in response to a topical question, announced that science has the first word and that the continuation of environmental licensing in the affected area will be based on a scientific study to be carried out. You can watch the relevant meeting (in Greek) here. NECCA assigned the study to the Natural History Museum of Crete (University of Crete) and it was completed in July 2024, suggesting that wind farms (and other projects) should be suspended in the burnt area and in the neighbouring unburnt areas, which are suitable habitats for birds of prey. To date, the study has not been made available to the public and has not been forwarded to the competent authorities responsible for giving opinion or making decisions on the wind farm permits.