This morning, the President of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, Sokratis Famellos, will visit the Athens City Hall, meeting with the head of the city’s municipal administration, Haris Doukas. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m.

At first glance, Famellos’ visit to Kotzia Square signals SYRIZA’s active interest in critical local governance issues. However, it’s unlikely that the discussion between the two political figures will be limited to matters of circular economy. The immediate reason for the meeting is the ongoing dispute between the Mayor of Athens and the Regional Governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalias, and indirectly with the government, over waste collection, as the management costs are expected to rise—a concern SYRIZA has highlighted.

SYRIZA, recalling that “on 18/04/19, under law 4609/2019 (article 55), an amendment introduced by the then Deputy Minister of Environment, Sokratis Famellos, abolished the landfill tax of law 4042/2012 and implemented a circular economy fee,” accuses the Attica Region of deliberately distorting the facts regarding the landfill tax. SYRIZA predicts that under the new legal framework, the landfill tax will be applied indiscriminately, without assessing regional progress in circular economy projects. Specifically, for 2025, municipalities will have to pay €35 per ton of waste, increasing to €45 in 2026 and €55 in 2027. This, according to SYRIZA, means a 50% rise in waste management costs for the City of Athens compared to 2024.

Furthermore, SYRIZA emphasizes that “instead of distorting the truth, the Attica administration should first study the issue thoroughly and then explain why it supports fragmented and unscientific policies promoted by New Democracy.” This statement reaffirms SYRIZA’s political support for Haris Doukas, noting that its backing played a crucial role in Doukas’ election in the recent municipal elections.

One of the main goals of today’s meeting is to reaffirm SYRIZA’s consistent support for the Mayor of Athens. SYRIZA’s municipal group, led by Kostas Zachariadis, was the first to support Doukas before the second round of the elections. This collaboration is seen as a prototype for future partnerships among progressive forces. SYRIZA officials have proposed a joint presidential candidate for the Republic, emphasizing practical steps toward progressive cooperation. Spokesperson Giorgos Karameros commented yesterday, “We made the proposal to advance the discussion on cooperation in practice. Although we won’t make any further moves or statements until the Political Secretariat meeting later this week, I believe the proposed candidate should symbolize a clear progressive direction.”

Meanwhile, SYRIZA appears cautious about disrupting the consensus it seeks to build with PASOK. Famellos’ visit to Kotzia Square is viewed as an opportunity to strengthen ties with PASOK, even suggesting a joint electoral platform. The party has toned down its rhetoric, especially in light of the recent passing of former Prime Minister and PASOK President Kostas Simitis, whose funeral Famellos and other senior SYRIZA officials are expected to attend.

Commenting on Simitis’ legacy, Karameros stated, “Kostas Simitis effectively steered PASOK’s progressive trajectory to the right. That steering broke the wheel for PASOK. History ultimately judges political figures, but Simitis was undeniably significant.”

Despite the somber tone, the discussion about building a “broad center-left” remains relevant to SYRIZA, as the Doukas example could inspire broader progressive cooperation in a time of growing euroscepticism and far-right movements across Europe. Today’s visit is seen as a message of solidarity with Doukas, who recently faced criticism over the New Year’s celebration at Syntagma Square. This criticism prompted a strong response from Zachariadis, head of SYRIZA’s municipal group, who remarked, “It’s strange how some people wish for PEACE IN THE WORLD but are outraged by a Palestinian scarf.”

Zachariadis’ Full Statement:

“Happy New Year again! The New Year’s event at Syntagma Square was an excellent presentation of Athens’ historical journey. Artistically, I liked it a lot, but that’s a matter of taste. Congratulations to the organizers for honoring the city’s history and democratic spirit.

ERT’s decision not to broadcast the event live for the first time in history—except for a brief excerpt at midnight—was judged by the public, who broke all records on social media by watching the full event online.

This year, for the first time, they tried to divide citizens based on the New Year’s event they watched. No previous administration attempted anything so toxic, regardless of their political affiliation. And this toxicity continues today on morning shows.

It’s strange how some people wish for PEACE IN THE WORLD but are outraged by a Palestinian scarf.

And one final note for those of us who don’t think in absolutes:

Not all Palestinians are Hamas.
Not all Israelis support Netanyahu.
Not all Russians support Putin.
Not all Germans supported Hitler.
Not all Americans support Trump.”