The Agency

The Development Agency of Pella S.A. was founded in Edessa, Greece, in October 1989 originally with the name "Development Agency of Kaimaktsalan - Vegoritida S.A.". It is the first agency to be founded in the Prefecture. There are 20 shareholders, all local autorities, organizations and social or athletic clubs with common aims and goals. The share-capital is 45.000.000 drachmas.

The main objectives of the agency are:

  1. To promote the economic and social development of the area.
  2. To support the co-operation among the local authorities.
  3. To support the co-operation among the public and the private sector.
  4. To promote the decentralization procedures and the democratic programming.
  5. To find the necessary presumptions for the continuous development of the area with the parallel mobilization of the human potential.
  6. The promotion of the tourism and the tourist development programs.
  7. The protection and the conservation of the physical and artificial environment.
  8. The training and the education of the local population.
  9. Undertaking of initiatives for the projection and promotion of the local or/and traditional products.
  10. Preservation, protection and elevation of the environment, sensitization of the local population in environmental matters and promotion of environmental education.

To achieve the above objectives and aims the agency is involved with:

  1. Studies and projects that help local authorities with their development plans.
  2. Community and national development projects that assist the development of the county or smaller areas within it.
  3. Submission of proposals to the Community funds or initiatives that could find application in the area.
  4. Setting up of human or technical networks between local organizations or people and corresponding bodies from Greece, Europe and the rest of the world.
  5. Participation in experience exchange programs with main aim the transfer of knowledge and technology.
  6. Management of local initiatives that concern tourism, human potential, SMEs, environment, rural development etc.
  7. Technical assistance to local authorities and other local organizations and clubs.
The agency is a member of the Hellenic Union of Development Agencies (HELADA - member of EURADA) and of the European Group for the Local Employment Initiatives (EGLEI) and has already participated in the following National or/and European Community Initiatives and Programs:

E.A.P.T.A. I Budget: 300,000 Euros
E.A.P.T.A. II Budget: 530,000 Euros
Industrial Change Office Budget: 740,000 Euros
LEADER I Budget: 4.150.000 Euros
LEADER II Budget: 10.000.000 Euros
INTERREG II Budget: 4.000.000 Euros
PACTE Budget: 27.000 Euros
ECOS-OUVERTURE Budget: 82.000 Euros
NOW, HORIZON, ADAPT

Prefecture of Pella

The Prefecture of Pella is situated in the northernmost part of Greece, bordering with Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia .and is one of the 7 prefectures of the Central Macedonian Region. The population of the area is about 130,000 inhabitants.

The Prefecture is characterized by worthy natural and tourist resources that are gathered mainly in the western part. Big differences in altitude exist in the area since large plains coexist with high mountains culminating at 2524 m. The climate is typical continental with cool winters and warm summers with bigger differences in temperature in the higher altitude areas which are covered with snow from early October up to late March.

The leading economic activity is agriculture followed by livestock. The area is dominated by cultivation of fruit trees with important production of peaches, apples and cherries as well as the cultivation of cereals. The main livestock production consists of milk (mainly from sheep and goats and secondly from cattle) as well as cattle meat that reinforce the local economy.

Lately, a plan (see map) for tourist development of the physical and artificial resources is being brought into action. It concerns the following areas and activities:

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  • A mountain tourist resort in the mount of Voras (Kaimaktsalan) with activities such as skiing, climbing, mountain walking, mountain bike, wildlife, restricted areas for fishing and hunting, ecological tourism, professional athletic training, moto-cross etc. (see also, pictures from the Ski Center).
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  • A traditional village of Agios Athanasios of tourist and cultural interest.
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  • A gliding center in the valley of Panagitsa with activities as gliders, parachuting, eagles etc. (see also, pictures from the Gliding Center).
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  • A thermal therapeutic bath center in Loutraki, where the water temperature is above 35o C and where a large group of caves with paleontological interest was recently discovered, with activities such as thermal baths, physical life, cave exploration, recreation, etc. (see also, pictures from the baths).
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  • A conservation area (physical lake) in Agras with activities such as bird watching, restricted fishing areas, recreation.
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  • A nautical-touristic centre in the lake of Vegoritida with activities such as sailing, rowing, fishing, golf, camping, recreation etc.
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  • The central town of Edessa (the capital of the whole prefecture) with impressive waterfalls (a unique sight in Greece), ruins of the ancient town (dating as far back as 450 BC), the traditional district of Varosi and the Water-mills area where historical factory buildings (mainly textile industries) exist. (see also, pictures from Edessa).
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  • The area with the Ancient Tombs in Giannitsa.
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  • The Ancient town of Pella. (see also, pictures from Ancient Pella).
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  • The mountainous part of the Prefecture (Pinovo, Tzena, Paiko as well as the above mentioned Voras) where many areas that have been hardly disturbed by people activities exits and dispose important variety of fauna and flora that is characterized by the existence of rare Greek as well as European species. 143 important plants and 137 different bird species (some of them in the edge of extinction) were the reason for the inclusion of the larger part of the target area in the Natura 2000 Network.
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    Map of the Prefecture

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