The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protectionin a framework of cooperation with all the Ministries involved, activates the framework of state aid to support areas affected by fires of August 2023 in the Regional Unit of Evros.

At the same time, from the first moment the officials of the services of the General Secretariat for Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters 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 have been immediately sent to the local government organizations for information them for the required actions and procedures.

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

1. First aid against housing assistance

In the coming days, the affected areas will be added to the arogi.gov.gr platform, 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 the Rehabilitation of Natural Disasters and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, as dangerous for use (” red”) or as temporarily unfit for use (“yellow”), with the amount of first aid amounting to 10,000 euros or 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. 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 temporary housing costs 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. State aid to affected businesses and agricultural holdings

After the payment of the first aid, the grant of the final amount of the grant to the affected companies will proceed, with the grant covering 70% of the estimated damage to the company’s assets, as determined by 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 started immediately with the Region, which also set up the state aid committees, the process of assessing the damage to businesses and agricultural holdings is being promoted, to grant a grant, taking into account all the relevant data, gradually, depending on the course of completion of the work of the committees. Finally, as far as agricultural holdings are concerned, the subsidy scheme for plant means of production from the state aid is activated, in a framework of cooperation with the relevant Ministries and ELGA, for damage to woody and perennial crops.

6. 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 aid, 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 persons with special needs, (b) financial aid of up to 6,000 euros per household, for the repair or replacement of household goods or for simple repair work in the main affected residence, while said aid is limited to 50% in cases of secondary residence, and (c) financial aid of 4,500 euros to persons who suffered disability (67%) from injury in the natural disaster.

7. Suspension of payment of tax obligations

In the areas of the Evros Regional Unit that have been affected by the fires and are declared in a state of emergency due to the fires, a suspension of the payment of outstanding and certified tax obligations will be granted for six months, both for businesses and for natural persons.

8. 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, the suspension covers, in particular, the execution of auctions, seizures, expulsions and personal reservations, excluding claims for maintenance. During the six-month period, the deadlines for exercising remedies and aids related to pending enforcement procedures are also suspended. The suspension concerns businesses that are certified as affected by a relevant certificate from the Region and are part of the state aid to affected businesses, as well as natural persons who are certified to have suffered damage to their homes, as part of their inclusion in the housing scheme assistance and allowance for household goods.

9. 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, as well as the parcels of land that have been destroyed, may be exempted from ENFIA for one three years, provided that during that time the ownership or real right to the property belongs to the taxpayer of that year.

10. Regulation and suspension of insurance contributions

It is possible to join a process of regulation and suspension of insurance contributions, for six months, for businesses located within the demarcated areas affected by the fires.

11. Suspension of employment contracts

The special employment support scheme for businesses affected by the fires is activated, 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. The measure is targeted at businesses that are certified as affected and are part of the state aid to affected businesses.

12. Emergency funding to local governments

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

13. Extension of DYPA’s Social Tourism program

The Social Tourism 2023 program of the Public Employment Service (DYPA) is extended for Evros to twelve (12) free nights, with completely free (zero private participation) accommodation in the area participating in the said program which is implemented until June 30, 2024 for all the beneficiaries and beneficiaries.