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The situation with regard to the local governments in connection with the government intentions to take the money of municipalities under the relevant legal act that it has already signed is explosive.

Mayor of Amfilochia: We will not give our money

Member of the Union of Greek Municipalities and Mayor of Amfilochia Apostolis Kimisis told SKAI TV today, a few hours before the extraordinary meeting of the Union, that municipalities would not transfer their funds to the Bank of Greece. "We will not give the funds that belong to the local authorities. The legal act is unconstitutional," Apostolis Kimisis said, adding that the money does not belong to the municipality but is intended for the payment of debts and suppliers.

According to sources, many mayors, including Mayor of Athens eorge Kaminis, support the view that municipalities should not give their funds.

Deputy Minister of Finance Geroge Mardas was invited to the meeting of the Union of Greek Municipalities to explain to the mayors the contents of the government decision on the transfer of municipal money.

Bild: "Mayor rebels against Alexis Tsipras"

This is the title of the article in the newspaper Bild, which presents the statement of Mayor of the Athens district of Maroussi George Patoulis in connection with the controversial government decision.

The president of the Union of Greek Municipalities and Mayor of Maroussi attacks the Greek government through the German newspaper and accuses it of acting like a dictator,

"This government is acting like a dictator. This is a direct attack against the churches. But they are not servants of the government. This is a left government that has the mentality of Soviet power," says Patoulis.

The article in Bild states that "the Greek government wants to force, by a decree, all state institutions and public organizations to transfer their deposits to the Bank of Greece" and continues, "In this way the government wants to pay the overdue debt to the International Monetary Fund and meet its obligations to Greece’s creditors in the coming weeks. The government in Athens wants to collect the amount of 12 billion euro. The funds available to the various institutions will be transferred to the Bank of Greece. As announced by the government, this measure does not apply to social insurance funds."

Union of Greek Municipalities: We will turn to the State Council

The Union of Greek Municipalities has decided to turn to the State Council to cancel the legal act. The Union of Greek Prefectures and Prefect of Continental Greece Kostas Bakogiannis have also decided to turn to the Court of Cassation.

The mayors from across the country are preparing for mass protests and reactions and it is expected that the Hellenic Federation of Local Government Employees will stand on their side as well. According to the mayors, the government decision is unconstitutional and it will open Pandora's Box, as it will lead to suspension of domestic payments.

The issue of municipal money in Europe

Mayor of Athens Geroge Kaminis has informed Commissioner for Regional Development Korina Kretsou about the issue of the obligatory transfer of municipal money, as stated by him on his personal Twitter profile.

Mayor of Patras opposes the decision too

Mayor of Patras Kostas Peletidis is also against the decision on transferring the funds of the municipality to the Bank of Greece.

As stated by Kostas Peletidis, "taking away the available municipal funds will worsen the lives of tens of thousands of families in our municipality, it will threaten even the simple operation of key municipal services and structures that serve citizens."

Subsequently Kostas Peletidis added that "the municipality will continue its coordinating efforts with the mayors of Achaia and the prefecture of Western Greece, so as to retain the money of the municipality and to meet the needs of citizens, not to allow it to go into the hands of bankers, businessmen and creditors."

In this regard, the Mayor of Patras asked the Regional Union of Municipalities of Western Greece to convene an extraordinary meeting of the leadership to criticize the legal act of the government. In terms of this act, George Peletidis stresses, "The coalition government of SYRIZA and Independent Greeks applies today what it condemned until yesterday," adding that "its purpose is to satisfy the creditors paying in full all the instalments of the state debt that has not been accumulated by the people."

New Democracy: the government is taking the municipalities to suspension of payments

New Democracy indicates in a message that the government trenches even on municipal funds to provide cash to the state funds and not to declare a complete suspension of payments.

According to New Democracy, it is already quite clear that, despite its constant proclamations in defence of the independent self-governing of municipalities, the government of SYRIZA now reveals its true face, perceiving the local authorities as fief of the central administration.

As indicated by the opposition party, the government decision puts in serious jeopardy the abilities of the local authorities to ensure the provision of basic services to citizens.

"With this decision the government is taking the local authorities to suspension of payments. In view of all this, we ask what would be the next piece of legislation affecting municipalities," reads in conclusion the message of New Democracy.