The Municipality of Spata–Artemida is allocating 1,250,000 euros to reopen the sports facilities in block G11 of the Christoupoli settlement. Decision 825/2026, signed by the Mayor, Dimitris Markou, and published on the ‘Diafania’ transparency portal on Wednesday 4 November, approves multi-year funding for the project ‘Upgrading of buildings and other infrastructure for the reopening of the sports facilities in Zone G11 of the Christoupoli settlement’, with a duration of thirteen months.
The funds are spread over three years: 0 euros in 2026, 850,000 in 2027 and 400,000 in 2028. All of this falls under the same budget code (015.3110905002), which will need to be included again in the budgets for subsequent years.
From 500,000 to 50,000, and now 1.25 million.
The project was included in the 2026 budget with a allocation of 500,000 euros. In the 7th budget amendment, in October, the allocation was reduced to 50,000, as we reported on 25 October. At the time, we noted that when a project code is reduced in October, the expenditure will usually not be made within that financial year and the project, if it continues, will be re-tendered in 2027.
The decision of 4 November confirms this. No payment is scheduled for 2026, and the entire project is being carried over to the following two years, with a sum two and a half times greater than the 500,000 allocated this year.
What is a ‘long-term liability’?
The decision is neither a contract nor a contract award. It is the accounting procedure that enables the Municipality to issue a call for tenders for a project to be paid for over more than one year. The Finance Department confirmed on the same day (ref. no. 88836/4-11-2026) that the commitment may be made. The decision also stipulates that at the beginning of 2027 and 2028, the Municipality must issue, ‘as a matter of absolute priority’, a new commitment decision for the amount for each year.
It does not state where the money is coming from (own resources or a funding programme), what feasibility study has been carried out, or exactly what work will be carried out on the buildings and premises. No call for tenders has been published.
What’s next
The next steps are the approval of the design and the terms by the Municipal Committee, the tender process and the signing of the contract. With thirteen months of work and the first funding earmarked for 2027, the facilities will, at best, be back in operation sometime in 2028. We will be monitoring the call for tenders, which will also set out what the project entails. Further information is available from the Municipality’s Technical Services Department on 213 200 7305.
If you live in Christoupoli and know how long the facilities have been closed for and what condition they are in, please write to us.
Source: Municipality of Spata–Artemida, Mayor’s Decision No. 825/2026 (approval of a multi-year commitment), Diafania, 4 November 2026.
