Popular Association of Lixouri: Budget of poverty, devaluation and war!

In a sharp statement regarding the budget of the Municipality of Lixouri for 2026, the Popular Association speaks of serious underfunding, cuts in projects and increased burdens for the citizens. In its statement, which follows, it criticizes the Municipal Authority and calls on the citizens of Paliki to mobilize.

The press release follows:

Municipality of Lixouri: Budget of poverty, devaluation and war!

Another anti-popular and tax-heavy budget was voted by the majority of the Municipal Authority in the Municipality of Lixouri.

The 2026 budget, as a consistent attendant of the state budget, serves the war economy and the EU framework of fiscal management.

With "cutters" applying only to popular needs, for which the economy supposedly has no "resilience", with state underfunding to the Municipality of Lixouri exceeding 50% of institutionalized resources and with the general reallocation of EU funds in favor of the war economy —which has blown up the social programs of the NSRF— the budget of the Municipality of Lixouri barely touches 14 million euros, compared to 25 million euros last year.

A characteristic element is that the Municipality is expected to cover its large operating expenses with 2.093 million euros from its own revenues (reciprocal fees) and with the "crumbs" of 2.7 million euros from state subsidies (CAP). At the same time, it is called to cover a deficit of 1.2 million euros from unpaid obligations to various bodies. The Municipal Authority pledged to cover this specific deficit either from the debts of citizens and businesses to DEYAK —which it plans to collect through compulsory seizures— or with new borrowing!

Regarding the projects, the situation is turning into a "Waterloo". Previous funding is either bogged down with unfinished projects (City Hall, theater, stray shelter, etc.), or it is not immediately apparent that it will be repeated (programs "Antonis Tritsis", Recovery Fund, etc.). Characteristic examples of cuts are:

• The co-financed part of the Public Investment Program (PIP), while in 2025 it amounted to 2.5 million euros, for 2026 it is expected to barely reach 1.1 million euros.

• The national part of the PIP plummets from 8.7 million euros in 2025, to 6.1 million euros for 2026.

Based on the above, the general political message conveyed by the 2026 budget, the new way of drafting it within the framework of the single European economic governance, the European semesters and sustainability checks, as well as the management of the Municipal Authority, lead with mathematical precision to a monstrous increase in municipal fees in the coming years. They also lead to the generalized commercialization and entrepreneurialization of almost all municipal services, due to the lack of staff and the devaluation of salaries.

The Popular Association voted against this budget, denouncing both the general government policy that is strangling our Municipality, and the anti-popular financial management of the Municipal Authority. A management that prioritizes the profits of groups, pushing millions into their pockets, while at the same time exacerbating the problems of popular households, which are called —in addition to the state— to finance the municipal budget with new tax raids.

We call on the people of Paliki, through the unions and other bodies of the movement, to organize their struggle and to respond to the unified attack they are receiving from the government and the Municipal Authority, claiming their own urgent needs in safety, Education, Health and public infrastructure.

Lixouri, 27/03/2026

The Popular Association in the Municipality of Lixouri