Relocation subsidy extended to eight more areas

The subsidy programme for the permanent settlement of residents in the regions is being extended to eight more Regional Units, with the relevant applications expected to open in October 2026. The application platform is scheduled to be activated for Kastoria, Kilkis, Serres, Florina, Pella, Drama, Kozani and Grevena. At the same time, areas of Epirus are being included in the plan, with the programme extending to seven of the eight municipalities of the Ioannina Regional Unit, as well as to the municipalities of Souli and Filiates in Thesprotia. For these areas, a Joint Ministerial Decision must first be issued, after which the submission of applications will be activated.

The programme is aimed at those who transfer their main residence and the centre of their daily life to an area included in the scheme, with eligibility for both single-person and multi-person households. In the new phase of the programme, the subsidy of up to €10,000 will be paid half before the move itself, a change that differs from the current arrangement, where most of the amount was paid after the relocation was completed. The already ongoing application in Evros is cited as a precedent, where no income or age criteria apply, while the actual relocation of beneficiaries to the chosen area remains a condition.

The geographic spread of the programme across two different regions, Western Macedonia and Epirus, shows that the plan is not limited to a single zone of the country but attempts to cover areas that share the common feature of population decline in recent decades. In the case of the Ioannina Regional Unit, the inclusion of seven of the eight municipalities leaves one municipality outside the scheme, without it being specified which one, while in Thesprotia the scheme is limited to the municipalities of Souli and Filiates. For households considering relocation, the removal of the requirement to find work at the place of settlement significantly widens the pool of potential beneficiaries, as inclusion will no longer depend on the existence of a specific job in advance. The provision for a partial advance payment before the move is also expected to help households financially during the transition stage, when expenses are usually higher.

The final activation of the platform for the eight new Regional Units is set for October 2026, while for the areas of Epirus the start of applications remains linked to the issuance of the Joint Ministerial Decision. This development is part of the broader discussion on the economy of the country’s regional areas, as well as issues concerning society and the demographic revival of areas that have lost population in recent years.