Chr. Triantopoulos: First advance payment to earthquake-stricken businesses in Crete

The decision of the Minister of Finance to support the earthquake victims businesses Crete entitled «Granting of aid in the form of an advance payment for the compensation of those affected by the earthquakes of July 24 and September 27, 2021, in areas of the Regional Unit of Heraklion in the Region of Crete» (Government Gazette B’ 323/01.02.2022).

The decision, which was announced in an online post by the deputy minister responsible, Christos Triantopoulos– provides for the payment of €127,525.50 to 23 businesses affected by the earthquake.

It should be noted that this amount is the net amount to which businesses are entitled as an advance payment (25% of the estimated damage), after deducting the amount they have already received in the form of initial aid for business subsidies.

In this context, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, responsible for State Aid and Recovery from Natural Disasters, Christos Triantopoulos, stated: «With the publication of the first decision by the Minister of Finance to grant aid in the form of an advance payment to compensate earthquake-stricken businesses in Crete, the phase of granting advances against subsidies to businesses is effectively beginning, so that earthquake-stricken businesses can receive 25% of the estimated damage, minus the amount they have already received through the first aid process in lieu of a subsidy. More specifically, with this ministerial decision, the first 23 beneficiaries will receive today, Wednesday, February 2, an advance payment of €127,525, an amount which, when combined with the initial aid received by companies that applied on the arogi.gov.gr platform, amounts to 25% of their estimated damage.

According to government officials, 37 other companies have already received the first aid amount, which exceeds the 25% of the estimated damage to which they are entitled during the advance payment phase and therefore did not receive the advance payment in today's payment.

Other relevant ministerial decisions on the granting of advances will follow, in cooperation with the Region of Crete, while as the project matures, the Regional authorities will determine the final percentage of state aid for the estimated damage.

The same officials emphasize that, following a request from the Region of Crete, the deadline for submitting applications by businesses affected by the earthquake has been extended—with a relevant amendment to the ministerial decision—from the end of January to to February 28, 2022.

Heraklion: Broad meeting, attended by government officials, on earthquake victims

A broad government meeting on earthquake victims is currently being held at a central hotel in Heraklion, to discuss relief measures and further support for those affected by the earthquake on September 27.

A government delegation consisting of Christos Triantopoulos, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, responsible for state aid and recovery from natural disasters, Minister of Education Niki Kerameos, Lefteris Avgenakis, Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports, the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior, the Secretary General of Public Investment and Corporate Agreement, the Secretary General of Economic Policy, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Labor and Social Relations, the Secretary General for Spatial Planning and Urban Environment, the Secretary General for Aegean and Island Policy, and the Special Secretary for the Management of European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund Programs.

In addition to the regional governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, and the deputy regional governor, Nikos Syrigakis, the meeting will also be attended by the mayors of Heraklion (Vasilis Lambrinos), Minoa-Pediada (Manolis Fragakis), Archanes-Asterousia (Manolis Kokosalis), and Hersonissos (Yiannis Segos).

Also present are the Metropolitan of Arkalochori, Kastelli, and Viannos, Andreas, the president of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce, the president of the Technical Chamber of Greece/Technical Chamber of Crete, and the president of the Union of Independent Tax Consultants of Heraklion.

The government delegation will then travel to Arkalohori, where five more houses will be handed over to earthquake victims, donated by Super League 2 teams, in the presence of SL2 president Leonidas Leoutsakos and representatives of Cretan football clubs competing in SL2 (Antonis Rokakis – Chania, Michalis Nikolidakis – Heraklion, and Nikos Papadakis – Rethymno). Leonidas Leoutsakos, and representatives of the Cretan football clubs competing in SL2 (Antonis Rokakis – Chania, Michalis Nikolidakis – Episkopi, Giorgos Tutzaris – Ergotelis, Stelios Papadimitriou – Herodotos, Thanasis Hinopoulos – Ierapetra).

At the same time, visits to schools will be made and working meetings will be held at the town hall of Minoa Pediada on the new spatial plan for Arkalochori, as well as on the presentation of a support scheme for local businesses, in the presence of the Arkalochori Trade Association.

The government delegation will then travel to Peza for a meeting at the town hall with the mayor of Archanes-Asterousia, Manolis Kokosalis, and local authorities, and will visit the settlement of Oikiskos and schools in the municipality.