Anyone who disputes a charge or fine issued by the Municipality of Spata–Artemida now has a new avenue for settlement, though this is only available if they take the matter to court. On Tuesday 6 October, the Municipal Council established the Committee for the Amicable Settlement of Disputes, as provided for in Article 433 of the new Local Government Code (Law 5314/2026). Decision 147/2026 was published on the ‘Diafania’ transparency portal on Monday 12 October.
The new committee replaces the Committee for the Resolution of Tax Disputes and Objections, which the Council had established at the beginning of the year (Decision 20/2026). That committee was based on Article 32 of Law 1080/1980, which the new Code expressly repealed by Article 773. By the same decision, the Council determined that the former committee had ceased to exist.
How it works
The committee examines disputes between the municipality and its debtors, with a view to reducing or writing off any assessed charge or fine. The procedure begins with the lodging of an appeal: anyone lodging an appeal with the administrative courts may, in the same document, request that the dispute be resolved by way of a settlement. The municipal department receiving the appeal must immediately send a copy to the committee.
From there on, the deadlines are strict:
- Within 10 days, the committee shall set a date for the hearing, which must be no later than 20 days from that date.
- The appellant or their solicitor shall be notified at least three days in advance, by letter or email.
- If the committee decides that the amount should be reduced or written off and the appellant agrees, a settlement agreement shall be drawn up within 20 days, which the appellant shall also sign.
- The agreement is submitted to the Municipal Council within five days, and the Council decides on it at its first meeting. If it approves the agreement, the appellant withdraws their appeal.
If no settlement is reached, the Financial Services Department refers the case to the court and it is heard in the normal course of proceedings. According to the recommendation, even where there is no reason to write off the principal sum, the committee may propose a reduction in the fine on grounds of leniency.
Who are its members?
The law provides for three members: a municipal councillor, an official from the Finance Department, and the Ombudsman for Citizens and Businesses. If the Ombudsman does not participate, his or her place is taken by a resident selected by the Municipal Council. The Municipality appointed the Deputy Mayor, Antonios Nomikos, as chair, with the municipal councillor Ioannis Basinas as deputy chair. It has also appointed an employee of the Finance Department, who also acts as secretary, and a member of the public, all with deputies. The committee meets only if all members or their deputies are present. It is formed every January, so the current composition remains in place until early 2027.
The decision was taken by a majority vote. Five councillors voted against it and one abstained. Their reasons are recorded in the transcribed minutes, which have not yet been published.
When you don’t need it
The committee is not the route to take for a simple error on a bill. Such corrections are made by submitting a request to the Council and are approved by the Municipal Committee as ‘cancellation of confirmed debts and re-confirmation’. This is what happened last week with decisions 581 to 585 concerning water bills that charged several four-month periods in a single bill. The Conciliation Committee comes into play when the dispute has already reached the administrative court: the case can be settled within the above time limits, without having to wait for a trial. The request for settlement must be included in the appeal itself. If it is not included there, the committee will not consider the case.
Source: Municipality of Spata–Artemida, Municipal Council Decision 147/2026 (meeting of 6 October 2026, ADA Ψ3ΗΝΩ1Χ-ΣΔ4), Diafania 12 October 2026; Law 5314/2026, Articles 433 and 773.
