Greek MEP Kostas Papadakis (NI) has submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission, challenging the construction of a 21-turbine wind farm on Mount Othrys, a Natura 2000 site, and linking it to broader concerns over the Green Deal's impact on residents and the environment.
The question, filed on 16 June 2026, targets a project near the Gerakovouni peak with turbines 249 meters high. Papadakis argues that the wind farm will harm both local communities and the protected ecosystem, which he describes as an area of rare natural beauty with rich vegetation. He claims that the Green Deal prioritises profits for 'green business groups' over public welfare, and that the Natura designation has failed to shield the site from commercial exploitation.
whether it will support residents' calls to halt the project; how it justifies the lack of protection for Natura areas from business interests; and whether it acknowledges that the green transition and energy liberalisation exacerbate energy poverty for working-class people. The MEP points to Greece's 46% renewable electricity share as evidence that RES expansion has not lowered consumer prices.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its response will signal the executive's stance on balancing renewable energy deployment with environmental and social safeguards in protected areas.
Local residents and environmental groups would see the project as a threat to biodiversity and quality of life, while renewable energy developers and investors face potential delays or cancellations. Greek authorities must navigate EU environmental law and energy targets. EU consumers, already facing high energy costs, may see limited direct benefit from this specific project, though broader RES expansion aims to reduce prices long-term.