15-03-2012 TEE requests extension for NOK

The relevant parliamentary committee has completed its discussion and vote on the bill for the new General Building Regulations. PASOK, New Democracy, and LAOS voted in favor of it in principle, while representatives of the Communist Party and SYRIZA expressed their categorical opposition, with Deputy Minister of the Environment Nikos Sifounakis leaving open the possibility during the debate in the the plenary session of the Parliament, to incorporate improvements proposed by both the parties and the relevant bodies.

However, the Technical Chamber of Greece, through its president, Mr. Christos Spirtzis, and its first vice-president, Mr. Socrates Alexiadis, is requesting an extension of the consultation period and the implementation of the provisions of the NOK eight months after its adoption, with a parallel and corresponding postponement of the implementation of the provisions of Law 4030/ 2011 on the new method of issuing building permits.

As Mr. Alexiadis noted when speaking to the relevant parliamentary committee, there was no meaningful cooperation with the Technical Chamber of Greece in drafting this bill, while the consultation period was minimal, lasting only five days. As a result, the draft law submitted to Parliament is not a comprehensive and straightforward text with as few references to other laws as possible in order to minimize any misinterpretations.

Finally, as warned by the vice-president of the Technical Chamber of Greece, the parallel application for six months, as proposed in Article 30, of the “new” and current General Building Regulations will create greater confusion and more distortions in the issuance of building permits.