Heraklion: migrant facility and sewage on council agenda

The Heraklion Municipal Council convenes on Monday, 31 August 2026 at 16:00, with an agenda comprising 25 items, according to an announcement republished by CRETA24. Two matters attract the greatest attention on the agenda: the proposed migrant reception facility at the Athanatoi site, on the national road, and the discharge of sewage into the sea at the old harbour, beyond the Koules. The same session includes a proposal from the municipal group « Heraklion, our city » concerning the municipality’s obligations during the tourist season and the municipal authority’s intentions for informing residents, as well as a property compensation matter. The agenda has been published, but no decision has yet been taken on any of the matters.

Convening a municipal council is the regular procedure through which a municipality examines and decides on matters affecting its operation and development. Items are placed on the agenda following proposals from the competent services, from municipal groups, or requests from citizens and organisations, and their final wording is settled by the council presidency in consultation with the municipal authority. At the session each item is introduced, discussed by the municipal councillors and put to a vote, with the minutes recording the decisions taken. The inclusion of a matter on the agenda does not prejudge its outcome, as discussion and voting take place exclusively during the session.

The old harbour and the Koules are located in the historic centre of Heraklion and form a point of passage for residents and visitors, as they connect to the waterfront zone and the city’s pedestrian streets. The matter of sewage disposal in this area concerns infrastructure related to the operation of the old harbour. The Athanatoi site, where the creation of a migrant reception facility is being examined, lies on the national road, outside the densely built-up fabric of the city. The agenda is limited to stating the location and the proposed use of each site, without including further details on planning or specifications. More matters from the municipality’s area are recorded in the Heraklion section of TodayGrid.

The session of the Heraklion Municipal Council is scheduled for Monday, 31 August 2026 at 16:00, where the 25 items on the agenda will be examined one by one. The decisions on the migrant reception facility at Athanatoi, on sewage disposal at the old harbour, and on the remaining matters, will result exclusively from the proceedings of the session. So far no decision has been taken. TodayGrid will record the progress of the items and the results of the session, as well as other developments from the wider area of Crete.