By Chrysostomos Tsoufis

The first aid platform, the arogi.gov.gr platform, opens today in order to start giving the first money to those affected by the historic disaster that hit Thessaly.

The applications concern, according to the statements of the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Christos Triandopoulos:

  • First aid against housing assistance which concerns property owners (who have full or partial ownership) whose properties have suffered damage and are characterized by the Authorities as “red”, i.e. dangerous for use, or “yellow”, i.e. temporarily unsuitable for use. The amounts are €10,000 for the first case and €5,000 for the second.
  • First Aid for business support which reaches up to €4,000 for a large range of damage to their assets (machinery, equipment, building facilities) and €2,000 for a medium range of damage. Livestock holdings are also included.
  • Damage to household goods and first repair work with the amounts reaching €6,600. The €600 concerns each affected household and covers basic needs, while the amount increases for the disabled and large families. The €6,000 is for its repair or replacement. €4,500 is also provided for people who suffered a disability (at least 67%) from an injury resulting from the natural disaster.

As the autopsies of the competent echelons in the area, which exceed 2,500, have already begun, the housing assistance framework is activated for the repair or reconstruction of the buildings. 80% is free government aid and 20% is an interest-free loan guaranteed by the Greek State for property owners up to 150 sq.m.

After the first aid is paid, businesses will be subsidized with 70% of the estimated damage to the business’s machinery, raw materials, merchandise and damaged vehicles. The final grant is offset against the granted first aid and advance payment, while agricultural holdings and livestock units are included in the same framework.

Until the damage is completed and the homes of the affected are habitable again, the rent/cohabitation subsidy is also activated. The amount of the subsidy ranges from €300 to €500.

It goes without saying that the tax and insurance obligations of the affected – natural persons and businesses – are suspended for 6 months, while the exemption from ENFIA is for three years and also concerns the plots of land. Forced collection measures – auctions and confiscations – of the movable and immovable property of those affected by the floods are also suspended for 6 months.

Especially for the affected businesses and for the support of employment, special support is activated by providing the possibility of suspending employment contracts and granting a corresponding allowance, amounting to €534 for 3 months.

It was also decided to extend the payment of the minimum guaranteed income and the housing allowance to their beneficiaries until the end of the year. That is, whoever has an approval decision that expires in September, this is extended for 3 months until the end of the year, while if the approval expires in October, the extension is for 2 months without any application.

ELGA is already accepting applications for both animal and plant capital according to the Minister of Rural Development Lefteris Avgenakis. Despite the fact that ELGA has already exhausted its budget, the Prime Minister assured that they will “squeeze” the public funds so that no farmer/breeder will be left unprotected.

The amount of “damage” to the Public Funds from the storm Daniel is not currently possible to estimate. Kyriakos Mitsotakis assured that the Greek economy is strong enough to respond, but not alone. That is why on Tuesday he will go to Strasbourg to meet the president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to discuss how Brussels can contribute. After all, financial tools exist, from the Restructuring Fund and the NSRF to the agricultural funds and the Solidarity Fund.

At 15 the dead

Meanwhile, the rescue operations of residents in the flooded areas of Thessaly continued for one more night by the Fire Department.

Since last Tuesday, there have been a total of 4,500 civilian rescues by ground and air forces.

The death toll from bad weather Daniel reached 15 yesterday as four bodies of missing people were found.

It is about the 42-year-old who was swept away by a stream in Agia Aikaterini Volos, on Tuesday morning, an 87-year-old mother with her 65-year-old son in the Transfiguration of Karditsa and a 58-year-old from Agios Dimitrios Karditsa. Now there are two missing persons.

Even though the weather phenomena have subsided, in the last 48 hours there has been an overflow at the eastern mouth of Pinios, towards areas near Lake Karla and on the north-eastern side, towards Amphithea.