The Municipal Council of Spata–Artemida has adopted its own rules of procedure, comprising 36 articles. It was passed by a majority vote at the meeting on Tuesday 6 October, and the decision (133/2026) was published on the Diafania transparency portal on Monday 12 October. The rules of procedure set out how the municipal authority’s first special accountability meeting is to be conducted. According to a circular from the Ministry of the Interior, this meeting must take place by Thursday 29 October.
The regulation was necessary because the new Local Government Code (Law 5314/2026) came into force on 29 June. Until then, municipal councils had been operating under the Ministry’s Model Regulations of 2025. However, many of its provisions are no longer compatible with the new law. Without its own rules of procedure, the Council was unable either to establish the two mandatory advisory committees or to lay down the rules on accountability.
The accountability meeting
From now on, the Council must hold a special accountability meeting at least once every four months. An exception is made only if no items are tabled. The notice of meeting must be posted on the council’s website at least ten full days in advance. For a meeting on 29 October, this means it must be posted around 18 October.
Each local councillor may submit one item for discussion up to three days before the meeting. If more than ten items are submitted, a public draw is held and broadcast online. A maximum of three items from the majority’s list will be selected by lot. In addition to councillors, items must be tabled by the chairpersons of the municipal communities (up to two), the Ombudsman for Citizens and Businesses, and the chairperson of the youth council. The Chair of the Council may also place an item on the agenda from the proposals of the municipal community residents’ assembly.
Citizens do not raise issues directly. They must go via a councillor, their local community, the residents’ assembly or the Ombudsman. The councillor has three minutes to present their issue and the relevant official has five minutes to respond. This is followed by one minute for a reply and two minutes for a final response. If any information is missing, the response may be supplemented in writing within 30 days. No decisions are taken at the accountability meeting.
How much does each person speak at regular meetings?
The rules of procedure set maximum speaking times. The speaker has five minutes, and two minutes for a reply. The Mayor has a total of six minutes, including two minutes for a closing statement. The leader of each minority group has four minutes for their main statement, and the remaining councillors have two minutes each. Members of the public and representatives of organisations present in the chamber may be given the floor for two minutes, provided the Council grants permission by a simple majority. The request must be submitted to the secretariat before the meeting begins.
Every public meeting is broadcast live, with a link on the council’s website or official social media channels. For a meeting to be held in camera, a three-fifths majority of all members is required, along with a specific justification. Anyone who does not wish their image or voice to be broadcast may submit their statement or question in writing to the Chair.
Two new committees
Two advisory committees are to be established: one on social cohesion, inclusion and equality, with at least one representative from an organisation for people with disabilities, and one for the support of schools, comprising headteachers and parents’ representatives. Each committee comprises councillors from all political groups, civil servants, up to two experts and up to three representatives of local organisations, all serving on a voluntary basis.
The vote
Six opposition councillors voted against the decision: Anna Rafopoulou, Dimitrios Botziolis, Georgios Argyros, Athanasios Zirogiannis, Vasileios-Dimitrios Gorgomytis and Filippos Argyros. According to the decision, their reasons are set out in the transcribed minutes. In the text that was voted on, two notes from the draft remain in square brackets, including the phrase ‘[number and date of previous decision, if any]’ in the article on the entry into force. The by-law comes into force as soon as it is published in full on the Municipality’s website.
Source: Municipality of Spata–Artemida, Municipal Council Decision 133/2026 (meeting of 6 October 2026), Diafania, 12 October 2026.
