The implementation of the second cycle of first aid to the areas affected by the catastrophic floods of September of 2023 and mainly concerns agricultural holdings and livestock units, continues, in a context of close cooperation with the Regions.

On Thursday, April 11, 2024a new payment of the second cycle of the first aid was made – the additional grant up to 10,000 euros – to 316 agricultural holdings and livestock units, for a total amount of 1,939,000.00 euros. These are, in particular, farmers and breeders of Thessaly and particularly of the Regional Units of Larissa, Magnesia, Trikala and Karditsa of the Region of Thessaly and the Regional Units of Evia and Fthiotida of the Region of Central Greece, following the cross-referenced information received by the General Secretariat for Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid from the Regions and ELGA.

In total, to date, in the context of the second round of first aid, 19,551,000 euros have been paid to 3,561 agricultural holdings and livestock unitsof which 17,572,000 euros pertain to 3,201 cases of agricultural holdings and 1,979,000 euros pertain to 360 cases of livestock units.

It is noted that a total of 3,616 beneficiaries have been paid in the context of the second round of first aid to businesses, breeders and farmers, while in total, the cross-checking and payment process has been completed for 9,422 applicationsas 5,806 beneficiaries – agricultural holdings, breeders and businesses – have either already received the first aid corresponding to the severity of the damage, as characterized by the relevant Region from the first cycle of the first aid, or have already received an advance amounting to 50% of the entitled grant with which the first aid is offset, or the amount of their damage is low enough to receive first aid.

The second cycle of first aid was preceded by the first cycle of first aid to agricultural holdings and livestock units in the affected areas, corresponding to payments of 41,112,000 euros to 19,582 cases of farmers and breeders. So, in summary, the first and second cycle of the first aid to farmers and breeders has been set at 60,663,000 euros.

Cumulatively, therefore, to date, within the framework of the first and second cycles of first aid, 175.8 million euros have been paid to approximately 49,200 cases of households, businesses, agricultural holdings and livestock units that were affected by the unprecedented flooding phenomenon that hit the Thessaly, but also other areas.

At the same time, the advance payment of 50% of the planned state aid grant to agricultural holdings and livestock units for damages to fixed assets, goods, equipment, machinery, land capital and other related items is proceeding. In particular, up to now 1,905,429 euros have been granted to 478 farmers and breeders of Thessaly, with the payments continuing depending on the flow of data from the Region of Thessaly, namely the committees and state aid levels of the Region. At the same time, in 448 cases of agricultural holdings and livestock units, the first aid granted was offset against the amount corresponding to the amount of the advance payment of 50% of the state aid grant. Therefore, the phase of granting the advance payment of 50% of the state aid to agricultural holdings and livestock units has been completed for 926 beneficiaries.

In continuation of today’s payment, the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, responsible for recovery from natural disasters and state aid, Christos Triandopoulos noted that “in a context of close cooperation with the Region of Thessaly, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection is proceeding with the payment of the second round of the first aid which mainly concerns farmers and breeders. Until now, 19.6 million euros have been paid to 3,561 applicants, while the process has been completed for 9,422 applicants, as the rest have either received the advance payment of 50% of the state aid, or it appears – from the data of the committees and levels of state aid of the Region that they are not part of the scope of the beneficiaries for additional amounts. Payments will continue in the coming weeks, following the flow of data from the Regions, especially the Region of Thessaly, with the majority of the beneficiaries’ applications having progressed and been completed in Regional Units such as Trikala and Magnesia, according to the image from the Region of Thessaly. At the same time, the advance payment of 50% of the state aid to farmers and breeders is proceeding, which can reach up to 200,000 euros per farmer or breeder. And we continue to work closely with everyone».

Therefore, the payment of the second cycle of the first aid to agricultural holdings and livestock units continues, depending on the flow of data from the Region of Thessaly and the Region of Central Greece. The officers of the Directorate of State Aid of the General Secretariat for Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid are in close communication with the Regions and the competent services, so that the work of the committees and levels of state aid of the Regions can progress, with the result that in the coming days we will have new first aid supplies.