Resolution accepted at the 13th EGP Council, Tallinn, Estonia, October 8-10, 2010
The Greek railways are dying for political, rather than economic, reasons. Viable solutions do exist and are vital to be given a chance, especially in these times of crisis when the use of private car has become very expensive while household incomes are shrinking.
Chronic underinvestment and the pressure to cut budgets are threatening the provision of unprofitable railway lines in Greece. In practical terms, only the Athens-Thessaloniki mainline is safe, along with a number of short distance connections, as well as the underused international links to neighboring countries. The sections of the network to be closed down include lines renovated through European co-funding. Greece has already the lowest railway network density in Europe (except for Finland), with a density of 19km/1000 km2, three times lower than the European average.
The high deficits of the Greek railway company, which are presented as a justification for the closures, are primarily political and then financial. A large part of the railway debt and deficits are actually government debt, transferred on the railway by decades of Public Service Obligations being systematically withheld by the government.
Marginalisation of rail, in favour of road and air transport, has been a cornerstone for Greek transport policy since at least the late 60s.
1. 40% of the total accumulated debt of the state railway company is related to interest on bank loans imposed by Greek governments, determined not to invest a single euro (or drachma) of public money directly in rail infrastructure and maintenance.
2. Unlike rail projects, billions of public money, as well as the bulk of European funds, have been massively invested in building 2,500 km of motorways, a network that will be denser than those of the UK or France by 2015.
3. Modernisation of railway will only feature 800 km of medium speed (160-200km/h) by 2015; high speed links are not foreseen at all.
4. For decades the railway's competitors, mainly truck owners and bus cooperatives, have been directly and indirectly subsidised, often in scandalous ways. With the starting of PPP motorway projects since 2007, things have become even worse for Greek railways.
The Greek railways are dying for political, rather than economic, reasons. Viable solutions do exist and are vital to be given a chance, especially in these times of crisis when the use of private car has become very expensive while household incomes are shrinking.
Upholding the Greek railway network will be vital for Greece to meet its climate obligations and reduce its dismal road accidents figures.
We Green parties of Europe therefore strongly support the campaign of Oikologoi Prasinoi, the Greek Greens, to save the Greek railway network, and call on both the Greek government and the European Commission to reform the railway company without closing down lines and turn to sustainable transport policies and greater infrastructure investment.
