The last few days have been among the most difficult for our country in decades. We fought, and are still fighting, the battle with all our strength. But we are facing a natural disaster of unprecedented proportions: in a few days 586 fires broke out in all corners of Greece. Fires which, due to the unprecedented heatwave and the months-long drought, are now very difficult to put out.
Many countries are already assisting us with resources and personnel. I thank them for their solidarity. Above all, I am grateful to all those who are fighting the fight on the ground. They are fighting a natural phenomenon that is often beyond their strength. And yet, they do not give up. In their blackened faces we see the Greece that resists and perseveres. While the wave of support and mutual aid that is spreading throughout the country indicates the determination of this people to quickly rebuild what has been demolished.
The fact that people were saved, with full evacuation plans, is due to the professionalism of the Civil Protection, the action of the Police and the Coast Guard. It was not self-evident, nor taken for granted. The same applies to the protection of many settlements that did not burn down in the end thanks to the self-sacrifice of firefighters and volunteers, and of course our pilots and the Armed Forces. In just a few 24 hours, 62 organised evacuations of residents were carried out in 141 areas.
The extent of the disaster, especially in Evia and Attica, is blackening all of our hearts. And I am the first to apologise for any shortcomings. I fully understand the pain of our fellow citizens who saw their homes or property burned. The upset of those who were displaced as they were from their homes. Even the angry wonderment of those who sought, for example, air assistance, not knowing whether fire-fighting aircraft were operating elsewhere or whether conditions were prohibitive.
Our reactions, however, should not be blind. Any failures will be identified. And responsibility will be attributed when and to whom it should be. The first order of business, at the moment, is solutions. Just as the first order of business was and remains the protection of human life. That is why the account of this experience must include not only what was lost, but also what was saved in the midst of such an unprecedented natural disaster.
It is obvious that the climate crisis is now knocking on the door of the entire planet, with fires lasting for weeks. This is a reason, but not an excuse or an alibi. And I will say it clearly: we may have done everything humanly possible, but in many cases this has not been enough in the unequal battle with nature. Just as clearly, however, I will say that we will stand by those affected by the fire. As we have done in the past, after the «Janos» floods in Thessaly or the great earthquake in Samos.
We have a duty to grit our teeth and move on. And other times the country has experienced disasters but has remained standing. The same will happen in this adventure, turning our grief into strength. So we will continue on the firefighting fronts as the war on fire continues. And, at the same time, we will begin to heal our wounds: those who have lost homes and property will be compensated, the burnt land will be reforested and the necessary flood protection works will be launched immediately.
We have already secured significant resources from the Recovery Fund for reforestation, primarily in Evia and Attica. Today I have also approved a supplementary budget of €500 million specifically for these regions. And if necessary there will be additional European aid. Our challenge is to become models of a new beginning, a dynamic relaunch, to which I am sure that institutions, businesses and, above all, civil society itself will respond.
There we will plant not only many trees, but the right trees, using the latest know-how. So that, with the help of nature, our forests can be regenerated and life and the economy can return to the places that were damaged by the flames.
Damage has already started to be recorded. The bureaucracy will be scanned. And the first compensation payments will be paid immediately, with a simple application by any interested party, submitted on a single online platform.
The €1.8 billion Civil Protection programme of the future also starts with prevention at its heart. The whole Reconstruction Plan is placed under the supervision of the Prime Minister's Office. For Evia, in fact, I pledge that there will be a targeted programme of rehabilitation and development of the island. Tomorrow, at the Council of Ministers, specific announcements will be made. And in the coming days I will personally answer any questions. I hope that the next day will dawn with bipartisan consensus, because if the duty of today belongs to the government, the responsibility of tomorrow belongs to all of us.
Let me close with a personal reference. As Prime Minister for 25 months I managed many crises: from the asymmetric attack in Evros to the coronavirus onslaught. And from the successive national challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean to the great gamble on vaccination. All have had multifaceted consequences for the economy and society. And all seemed at first insurmountable. But we overcame them all with tenacity and unity. That will be the case now, with bold decisions that will change a lot.
I am sure that this test will also be an opportunity to teach us and make us better. Because the challenge of the climate crisis is not only for our own generation, but above all for the next generation. Personally, I will continue to do what I chose from the beginning: to speak the language of truth, to take responsibility, to ward off divisions and to unite Greeks. And to work hard for the homeland we deserve.
