Christos Spirtzis: Mitsotakis's executive state caught napping

A statement was made by Head of Citizen Protection, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance Parliamentary Group, Christos Spirtzis, with regard to today's update of the Deputy Minister of Civil Protection, Nikos Hardalias, for the devastating fire which began in Schino, Corinthia and has turned thousands of acres of virgin forest to ashes.

Mr. Spirtzis refers to a strategic mess, with the main components being disorganization, incompetence, and the provocative behavior experienced by the country's citizens.

Mr. Spirtzis' statement in detail.

Today's briefing by the Deputy Minister of Civil Protection, Nikos Hardalias, on the fire that continues to rage in Corinthia and Western Attica, leaving behind tens of thousands of acres of burned forest land, crops, and destruction of citizens' property, included the cynical admission that the Mitsotakis administration was once again caught napping.

Mr. Hardalias, who had previously taken every opportunity to talk about the timely preparation and full readiness of the state apparatus, admitted that 29 aerial firefighting vehicles are missing, all of which will be available in mid-June!

And while everyone knows that for decades, the fire season has begun on May 1, and while scientists worldwide explain that climate change brings earlier and more intense natural disasters, Mr. Hardalias dared to say that the chaos is justified because we are... outside the fire prevention period.

Yesterday, Mr. Hardalias announced the participation of 17 aerial vehicles. However, those who were present at the firefighting operation complain that there were very few aerial vehicles available. Reports indicate that the existing resources are in poor condition. What is certain is that the aerial resources involved in extinguishing the fire were completely inadequate.

Let us remind Mr. Hardalias that on March 23, he participated alongside the Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis, in a broad meeting at the Civil Protection Faros building with the subject, according to the newsletter of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection: “the preparation of the mechanism in view of the fire season that begins on May 1 (until October 31)”.

The chaotic state of the Mitsotakis government continues, and the citizens of the country are experiencing firsthand the results of their disorganization, incompetence, and provocative behavior.

Indicative of the chaos is the fact that the Hardalia law on dealing with natural disasters has not yet been implemented, as the regulatory provision that will allow the coordinating body to be set up is still pending. It is therefore not surprising that citizens in the affected areas have complained about the lack of coordination and the absence of sufficient forces to deal with the large fire.

The fire season has begun, summer is just a few days away, and the Mitsotakis government is trying to justify the unjustifiable. We call on it, even now, to get serious, roll up its sleeves, and work to protect the country and its citizens.