Intense criticism of the delignitization of the Independent Citizens Movement "ELPIDA for Democracy" by Maria Karystianos, referring to "energy crime" at the expense of Western Macedonia and the country as a whole.

In its announcement, the movement expresses its opposition to the urgent competition that is underway to demolish facilities of the lignite plant AIS St. Demetrius 5, which ceased operation on 15 May 2026.

In detail the communication
These days we are witnessing the completion of a huge energy crime against Western Macedonia and our country as a whole.

There is a competition with the urgency for the demolition of chimneys, cooling towers and other components of the steam power plant with lignite fuel Agios Dimitrios 5. It was preceded very recently, on 15/05/2026, the closure of the unit. A few months earlier, in December 2025, the MELITI unit 1 had been shut down, while the upcoming, in September 2026, shutdown of the state-of-the-art lignite fuel plant was only three years old PTOLEMAIDA 5.

In the name of the 'energy transition' (until 2050, when the European Union's planning must have zeroed fossil fuel combustion pollutants) the black gold of Western Macedonia, Megalopolis and the whole of Greece, which for 80 years gave employment to many thousands of workers and electrified the whole country with plenty and the cheapest electricity throughout Europe, helping to keep prices and the development of the national economy, is buried completely.

In this way for the next years of the ‘energy transition’, the present government removes all this benefit from the country and citizens and chooses as fuel only fully imported natural gas, with its gaseous or liquefied form (LNG).

In full mismatch with the Greek government, other European countries producing lignite-fueled electricity, promoting the good of their country, for reasons of national interest and security of supply, requested exemption and retained lignite during the ‘energy transition’, such as Germany until 2038 and Poland until 2049. Greece did not make use of this right resulting in the contribution to ejecting energy prices.

The culmination of this anti-national policy is the government's study to close immediately (in September 2026) and the brand-new modernized PTOLEMAIDA unit 5, which in the first place does not conflict with the energy transition, since it has a lower CO2 emission even than an open cycle gas plant, and has lower production costs when the gas price exceeds 40 € per thermal megawatt hour. At the same time, unit PTOLMAID 5 strengthens the country's security of supply and replaces imported energy and imported natural gas. In fact, it cost the Greek people 1.5 billion euros and has not even been depreciated.

Moreover, huge problems are already arising from the loss of thousands of jobs in the region, while promises of the creation of other jobs in other areas remain unreserved until now. The issue of district heating for 45,000 consumers in Kozani, Ptolemaida and Amyntaus is also concerned, where the use of oil is now being discussed temporarily, resulting in steps backwards, which invalidate the "energy transition".

We are informed that the Western Macedonia Regional Association of Municipalities (GCC) has submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister with proposals to address the huge problems, including the request to extend the operation of stations, at least PTOLMAIDAS 5.

We call on the government to propose the interest of the country and citizens, to engage in meaningful dialogue with local actors and to review these inexplicable with common sense and contrary to its common good decisions.

In the meantime, the government must immediately stop treating itself as if the country is its own and creates accomplished, which in any case exclude the return to a prior state. For example, the location of the planned new gas plant in the "court" of PTOLEMAIDA 5, so that it can never be reopened, constitutes for our Movement infidelity against the interests of the State and destruction of public property, which we will also denounce, seeking criminal and civil responsibilities from responsible politicians and service agents.

Finally, we call for an end to the emergency demolition competition until final, careful, thorough and reasoned decisions are taken. It's time to put an end to impertinence.