Nikos Mantzaris, political analyst and co-founder of The Green Tank, appeared on ERT3’s “Synora” show to discuss Greece’s progress in phasing out coal and the significant delays in the Western Balkans.
He noted that since 2019, Greece’s lignite production has dropped by 75%, and in 2025 there were for the first time over 1,200 hours with no lignite units in operation. In contrast, the Western Balkans have yet to meet their pollution reduction commitments. According to a recent Bankwatch report, emissions from coal-fired power plants in the region exceed limits by up to six times for sulfur dioxide, 1.9 times for particulate matter, and 1.4 times for nitrogen oxides, contributing to approximately 19,000 premature deaths each year.
Mantzaris emphasized that starting in 2026, the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will put strong pressure on these countries to shift toward cleaner energy sources.
Watch the interview excerpt with Kalli Zarali, broadcast on ERT3 on September 26, 2025, [in Greek] here.
