Today is yet another day of trials against the wave of fires. But the night before, the inability of the state apparatus to adequately fulfill a fundamental duty was confirmed: that of civil protection. The assumption was made in the most official manner, by the most competent authorities. Those of Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
In yesterday's announcement, the prime minister made clear the government's priorities, with the protection of human life naturally at the top of the list. This was followed by «the protection of property, the natural environment, and critical infrastructure.» However, the point that «Unfortunately, under these circumstances, achieving all of these goals at the same time is simply unfeasible.», leads to a clear political conclusion: The government knew from 9 p.m. on Thursday that the state apparatus was unable to meet its fire protection obligations in the northern part of Attica.. Possibly on other fronts across the country as well.
The government acknowledged its inability to prevent what was to follow in the coming hours: the enormous environmental disaster in one of the most important, if not the most important, forest area in the basin. Also, the destruction of property in residential areas and many small businesses in these areas. This constitutes a «white towel» line and predetermined «damage control» at the communication level. This is also supported by the prime minister's vague references to compensation for those affected. As well as the initial acceptance of the «anger» of residents from areas that have been burned or will be burned.
Last night, the planned fire protection measures gave way to a general «retreat,» with evacuations in northern Attica following one after another. The criterion was to ensure that there would be no casualties. It is characteristic that there was also a tendency for citizens to leave even neighboring areas where no evacuation order had been given. Of course, no one can blame the state apparatus for the preventive evacuations. On the contrary. On the other hand, however, no one can deny that they constitute proof of inadequacy.
All of these factors combined create a situation that is in no way conducive to instilling a sense of security in citizens. On the contrary, The prime minister's statement conveyed a general sense of resignation and the absence of a robust state apparatus.. As well as an adequate civil protection system.
This image also has nothing to do with the «exemplary» response to the fires that the relevant ministers, Nikos Hardalias and Michalis Chrysochoidis, were talking about on Wednesday. It is questionable whether any of these individuals are concerned with the «time for criticism and self-criticism» that Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised would come once the alarm was over.
The theory of the unprecedented
Yesterday, the government resorted to rhetoric similar to that used for the Covid-19 health crisis, and it appears that it will continue to do so. The invocation of the «unprecedented phenomenon.».
The prime minister set the tone yesterday, saying that «we are talking about unprecedented conditions, as there have been many days of intense heat, which has turned the whole country into a powder keg.» He added that «unfortunately, this is also happening in many other countries.» He then went on to admit the inadequacy of the state apparatus: «We have made significant progress in organizing the state, but this is not enough when you are faced with a natural phenomenon of this magnitude,» he said.
Unfortunately, however, both for her and for any other government, Summer fires are not a new phenomenon in Greece. Nor can the heatwave alone justify what citizens are witnessing. Especially from a government whose first promise when it took office was to create an effective executive state.
Only in recent decades has the country paid a «heavy price» in terms of both human lives and the destruction of forests: From the fires on Samos and Ikaria 28 years ago, to the fires of 2007—which the then-minister Byron Polidoras attributed to the «general wind»—and the deadly tragedy in Mati in 2018.
So, In 2021, there is no justification for the state apparatus not to have incorporated the basics of fire protection: Prevention. Adequate firefighting personnel and aerial resources (there were reports of a shortage of firefighters and vehicles at every fire front, which obviously could not be covered by the presence of police officers). The development of a fire prevention plan for each area, especially those that are densely populated and include flammable forests and critical infrastructure for the country.
None of these essential elements appeared to be in place in the response to this August's fires. Even though the heatwave had been forecast many days before it hit, and fire prevention planning is something that should be done in winter, not summer. It is worth noting that This summer, 130,000 acres of forest have been burned.
By Gerasimos Livitsanos
