Through the last decades, the development of technology was rapid. As a result, changes in a series of sectors of human life have been observed. One of these sectors is spatial planning, where new applications contribute towards its skillful application. Especially, in the sector of public participation in urban planning procedure, an urge of motivation of the public is noted in order to participate as an active participant who collects data, creates maps, suggests ideas and, finally, accepts or not a design proposal. In that context, this research paper investigates how new technologies contribute in the promotion of community engagement in urban planning. In a parallel manner, this paper attempts to locate the effects that are expected to have technologically advanced applications in participant planning in the local community. In order to examine the above issues, an international literature review occurs and institutional guidelines towards this sector are investigated, in European level. Furthermore, the investigation of case studies is utilized in order to establish a guide of line practices and locate the effects that presented similar policies in societies that implemented them. All the above contribute to an ex-ante evaluation of the application of such practices in Greece, in order to find out how much usefulness will their integration provide to the procedures of spatial planning of the country.

No abstract

The role of public investment and its substantial contribution to economic growth and the quality of life of citizens is now being reaffirmed internationally, creating a trend towards enhancing the relative public spending. This paper analyses this role at international and European level, while it examines especially the case of Greece; having undergone a significant period of shrinkage over the years of the memorandums, the Public Investment Program (PIP) has again shown a tendency to increase its resources and its importance. Greece makes an important reform effort, which must take into account that, in order to keep track of current global trends and prospects, Public Investment Programs are now called for to be reconciled with new development models as well as new, internationally accepted rules of proper governance and financial management. In this context, they should also act as catalysts for further supporting and strengthening private investment.

The power of the Greek intellect has been evinced in the principle of subsidiarity "… for he ought to have a proper power, and such a one is that which will be sufficient to make the king superior to any one person or even a large part of the community, but inferior to the whole…", Politics by Aristotle, Book 3, 1286 b. The principle of subsidiarity inspires each building of federal type and it should be applied with spirit of collaboration of various rungs of power. The principle of subsidiarity does not constitute a principle of distribution of competences but regulates the exercise of powers and fixes in who sectors is permissible the action of Union establishing a type of evidence in favor the more inferior rung with the thought that, when the decision is taken as much as possible more near interested, in the citizen, it has increased prospects of effectiveness, after it creates to him a feeling of proximity and attendance in this. In accordance with this principle, the Union may intervene in areas which do not fall within its exclusive competence only insofar as the objectives of the intended action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be better achieved at Union level. The principle of subsidiarity constitutes driver as for the way at which it should be practiced this powers in European level. It is intended to determine whether the Union can intervene or should let the Member States take action. The subsidiarity constitutes dynamic significance and it must be applied in the light of objectives that are mentioned in the Treaty.