Under the Council of State’s final decision, the Greek Public will have to pay €24 million compensation to the Casino of the city of Florina in Greece. The illegal behavior of public institutions and ministers resulted in the Casino’s non-functioning.
Licenses were approved in 1994 and granted in 1995. The Florina Casino Consortium completed the Casino in 1997, but the final authorization has never been given by successive ministers, in violation of the law. The Casino never functioned, 250 job positions in Florina were lost and the Public is now obliged to pay €24 million.
According to the decision of the Court of Appeal, “the Consortium fulfilled its legal responsibilities, in a certain time, a fact that is not doubted by the Public”, and continues that “the administrative procedure has never been completed with the approval of the in-charge Minister of Tourism and Minister of Touristic Development afterwards, an essential action for the casino’s legal function, in accordance with L. 2206/1994 and with the ministerial decree 2554/21.12.1995.”
The Florina Casino Consortium sent successive petitions to the services in charge, to the then Ministers of Development and the then Prime Minister, but never managed to receive authorization. The Consortium was committed to build a luxury casino and hotel complex of international standards, to create a conference center in Florina of 2,500 square meters and of 500-people capacity, while it hired 250 individuals in 1997.
The Consortium’s attempts to be granted the final authorization lasted from 1995 to 2001.
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