The Greek government has been left on the ropes as devastating fires sweep Athens and the Attica region, leaving a trail of destruction.
The government had previously boasted that it was better prepared than ever to meet the challenge of fighting the wildfires, which are expected every summer in Greece.
That was despite the fact that, according to the latest focus report of the European Recovery and Resilience program, Greece has only absorbed one per cent of the available loans and grants regarding civil protection and the effects of climate change.
The country’s firefighting capabilities are also restricted by antiquated equipment, underpaid staff and the reliance on volunteers. Some of its Canadair firefighting aircraft date back to 1969.
The opposition has hit Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government hard although what has most enraged people and the media is the lack of an apology from the PM himself.
“We are trying to improve every year. But conditions are only becoming tougher,” he told ministers in a closed meeting about the latest blaze on the evening of August 13, according to a government official.
Unlike several occasions in the past when in times of crisis the Greek prime minister has resorted to a public address, at the time of writing Mitsotakis has remained silent.
One of the key fires broke out at noon on August 11 in Varnavas, about 50km from the centre of Athens. It soon got out of hand and threatened the northern suburbs of the Greek capital.
In less than a day, having burnt thousands of acres of the last remaining forests around Athens and sweeping through suburbs including Dionysus, the fire reached the city’s northern outskirts of Halandri.
The Greek fire department and civil protection officials tried to contain the fire but with little success. The fire had covered 45km in about 48 hours, mostly left unchecked.
More than 100,000 acres of forest land, hundreds of civilian properties, homes, schools, public buildings, sporting facilities and businesses were burned to the ground. A woman died less than 20km away from the Αcropolis, trapped inside a burning house.
