The ministry announced thirteen support measures for those affected by this summer’s fires Climate Crisis and Civil Protectionwhich in collaboration with all the ministries involved, activates a state aid framework.

As mentioned in the announcement of the ministry, from the first moment the executives of its services General Secretariat of Natural Disaster Recovery and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection are in the field of the affected areas for autopsies and records, while the relevant documents are immediately sent to the local government organizations to inform them of the required actions and procedures.

The state aid measures launched, in a framework of cooperation between the Ministries of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Finance, Interior and Labor and Social Security, as well as the Independent Public Revenue Authority, for the affected areas are the following:

1. First aid against housing assistance

The arogi.gov.gr platform will be activated in the coming days so that fire-affected citizens and affected businesses can submit an application for first aid against housing assistance for the fire-affected buildings, which will be paid after the necessary checks and checks. Beneficiaries of the aid are owners, by full or partial ownership, of buildings that suffered damage from the fires, which are characterized by the competent services of the General Secretariat for Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, as dangerous for use (“red”) or as temporarily unsuitable for use (“yellow”), with the amount of the first aid amounting to 10 .000 euros or to 5,000 euros, respectively.

2. Provision of housing assistance to natural and legal persons for the restoration of buildings

Upon completion of the autopsies by the services of the General Secretariat for Natural Disaster Recovery and State Aid, the affected areas will be demarcated and housing assistance will be granted for the repair/reconstruction of the buildings. The housing assistance, which consists of free government aid (80%) and an interest-free loan (20%) with the guarantee of the Greek State, is granted to the owners of the affected buildings and up to the maximum limit of 150 sq.m. from the total sum of the areas of their properties, in order to restore them (repair or reconstruction, depending on the damage they present).

3. Rent or cohabitation subsidy

Following the demarcation of the affected areas, a rent or cohabitation subsidy is provided to cover the costs of temporary housing for permanent residents, whose homes were affected by the fires, with the amount of the subsidy ranging from 300 to 500 euros, depending on the parameters.

4. First aid against state aid to affected businesses

Through the arogi.gov.gr platform, first aid is granted against a grant to deal with damages, to affected businesses and non-profit organizations, depending on the level of the damage. The amount of first aid aid amounts to 2,000 euros for a medium range of damage and 4,000 euros for a large range of damage to their assets. The first aid aid does not apply to companies with a small range of damage to their assets, which will be granted an advance payment. The payment of the first aid aid is made after cross-checking the data of the first aid applicants with the applications of affected businesses that have been submitted to the Region for the recording and assessment of damages by the state aid committees.

5. Advance against state aid to affected businesses

An advance is granted against the total grant to affected businesses -including agricultural holdings- and non-profit organizations, at a rate of 20% of the estimated damage, following the provision of first aid, following the prescribed procedures so that part of the aid is paid in a short period of time after the natural disaster. The advance payment is granted following the registration and assessment of damages carried out by the state aid committees of the Region, gradually, depending on the course of completing the work of the committees.

6. State aid to affected businesses and agricultural holdings

After the payment of the first aid and the advance payment, the granting of the final amount of the grant to the affected companies will proceed, with the grant covering part of the estimated damage to the company’s assets, as it results from the work of the state aid committees.

In particular, the grant concerns damage to mechanical equipment, raw materials, goods and damaged vehicles of the company. The final grant is offset against the granted first aid and advance payment, while agricultural holdings are included in the same framework. In a framework of cooperation and coordination that began immediately with the Regions, which set up the state aid committees, the process of assessing the damage to businesses and agricultural holdings is being promoted, so that – once the assessment process is complete – the final amount of the grant can be granted, taking into account all the relevant data. Finally, as far as agricultural holdings are concerned, and if it is deemed necessary, the subsidy scheme for plant means of production from the state aid will be activated, in a framework of cooperation with the co-competent Ministries and ELGA.

7. Compensations for the first needs of households and for household goods

The households affected by the fire will be paid, in cooperation with the Municipalities, financial aid amounts, depending on the recording of the damages. Specifically, it is planned to pay compensation to the affected households, as follows: (a) financial assistance, in the amount of 600 euros, to each household whose main residence has been affected, to cover their basic needs, increased accordingly for large families and people with special needs, (b) financial assistance of up to 6,000 euros per household, for the repair or replacement of household equipment in the main affected residence, while this assistance is limited to 50% for cases of secondary residence, and (c) financial assistance of 4,500 euros to persons who suffered disability (67%) from injury in the natural disaster.

8. Suspension of payment of tax obligations

In the areas declared in a state of emergency due to the fires, a suspension of the payment of outstanding and confirmed tax liabilities will be granted for six months, both for the businesses and for the natural persons affected. In particular, the suspension specifically concerns businesses that are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are part of the state aid to affected businesses. Accordingly, the suspension concerns natural persons who are certified to have suffered damage to their homes, in the context of their inclusion in the scheme of providing housing assistance and compensation for household goods.

9. Suspension of enforcement actions

It is possible to grant a suspension of any act of forced execution on the movable or immovable property of those affected by the fire, for six months. The suspension is targeted at businesses that are affected and individuals that have suffered damage to their homes. In particular, for the natural and legal persons, as well as the legal entities entitled to the specific measure, the performance of any act of forced execution on their movable or immovable property is suspended, for six months, with the exception of claims for alimony.

The suspension covers, in particular, the execution of auctions, confiscations, expulsions and personal reservations. During the six-month period, the deadlines for exercising remedies and aids related to pending enforcement procedures are suspended. The suspension applies to businesses that are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are included in the framework of state aid to affected businesses, as well as natural persons who are certified to have suffered damage to their homes, in the context of their inclusion in the scheme of providing housing assistance and household equipment compensation.

10. Three-year exemption from ENFIA

The buildings after the plot corresponding to them, which are located in areas declared in a state of emergency due to the fires and have been characterized as dangerous or temporarily unsuitable for use, may be exempted from ENFIA for a period of three years, provided that during this time the ownership or real right to the property belongs to the taxpayer of that year.

11. Regulation and suspension of insurance contributions

Following the demarcation of the affected areas, the businesses located within the demarcated areas and affected by the fires are given the opportunity to join a process of regulation and suspension of insurance contributions. The suspension of insurance obligations, for six months, with a corresponding procedure for regulating them, specifically concerns businesses affected by the natural disaster, which are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are part of the state aid to affected businesses.

12. Suspension of employment contracts

A special employment support scheme is being established for businesses affected by the fires, with the possibility of suspending employment contracts and granting a corresponding allowance, amounting to 534 euros, to the employees of the affected businesses for one quarter. Like the other measures, the measure is targeted at businesses that are certified as affected and are part of the state aid to affected businesses.

13. Emergency funding to local governments

In a context of cooperation with the local government organizations, their emergency funding will proceed – where the need is determined – to cover damages to networks and infrastructures.