The restructuring of Civil Protection structures and the strengthening of the structures of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protectionboth during the stage of risk prevention and during the stage of the manifestation of the emergency, are the main axes of the bill which is to be submitted in the next period to the Parliament and was presented today by the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilia, during the cabinet.

In particular, according to Civil Protection sources, through the bill, it is sought to strengthen prevention in the National Crisis Management and Risk Management Mechanism.

The actions of the National Mechanism for Crisis Management and Risk Management establish the possibility of immediately taking additional preventive measures for the protection and safety of citizens, such as the preventive curfew, the partial suspension of the obligation to work, the suspension of school operations, the provision of telework, the preventive suspension outdoor events, concerts, etc. These measures will be communicated to citizens through 112 and will be immediately applicable.

At the same time, the bill provides for the establishment of a risk assessment committee from the manifestation of dangerous civil protection phenomena, which will consist of representatives of scientific bodies such as OASP, the EMY, etc.

According to Civil Protection sources, the focus and objectives of this committee will be:

– the continuous monitoring of all dangerous natural phenomena,

– the prediction of possible consequences on the infrastructure, safety and health of citizens,

– the formulation of the appropriate Grading of State of Readiness of the state apparatus,

– taking preventive measures to protect the property, safety and health of citizens, such as e.g. suspension of obligation to work in combination with a traffic ban.

Furthermore, the bill, according to information, will provide for the subordination of bodies such as the National Meteorological Service and the National Observatory of Athens, to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

In addition, it will also provide for the possibility of checks on the observance of preventive measures by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection in order to optimize prevention. In particular, the ministry will be given the opportunity to carry out checks regarding the observance of preventive measures by OTAs for cleaning, fire prevention and anti-flooding projects and their inclusion in an emergency procedure, when it is deemed necessary to protect the safety of citizens.

In fact, in case of non-compliance, the sanctions will be tightened and there will be the possibility of delegating the implementation of the projects to other ministries and services.

However, there will also be a tightening of fines as the bill is expected to include the readjustment of fines for the execution of hot work on days of high risk for the occurrence of fire, reaching up to 50,000 euros in the event of a recurrence.

At the same time, the bill also provides for the simplification of procedures in emergency situations as well as the possibility of demanding and taking extraordinary additional measures during the stage of special political mobilization. That is, they are being added, according to Civil Protection sources

possibilities of requisitioning and taking extraordinary additional measures during the special political mobilization stage, in addition to the already existing ones, such as suspension of operation of public structures, businesses, traffic ban, requisition of project machinery and operators, suspension of permits, operation on a 24-hour basis, etc.).

In addition, the bill is expected to simplify procedures and align existing structures with wider preventive measures to deal with extreme weather events. The goal, according to Civil Protection sources, is for municipalities and regions to be able to respond directly to the requirements of Civil Protection and prevention.

At the same time, the operation and composition of the Civil Protection Coordinating Bodies of each level is updated. More specifically, depending on the degree of risk, their immediate convergence will be mandatory, while the participation of additional links to the National Coordination Center of Civil Protection is also foreseen. Also, special staffing rules are established for the Autonomous Directorates and Civil Protection Departments of the Regions and Municipalities.

At the same time, among other things, the bill includes the establishment of a special position of Trapped Rescue Coordinator at ESKEDIK as well as the drafting of risk response standards by type (fire, floods, etc.) for citizens and officials of the National Mechanism.

With the promoted regulations, the National Mechanism for Aerial Search and Rescue of Law 4989/2022 is also strengthened with the addition of air transport.

In this way, citizens’ sense of security is strengthened, by providing modern and efficient rescue services, they note.

The air transports will be carried out by aerial means and concern cases of seriously ill, injured and in general persons who need immediate help and urgent medical care and concern their transport either from the scene of the incident to an appropriate health formation, or from a health formation to an appropriate health formation , for the purpose of their urgent or specialized treatment, as long as their immediate and rapid transport, for which the available flight is the most convenient, appropriate and effective means, is deemed necessary by the medical service of the EKAB.

Finally, it is stipulated that the National Mechanism will operate in the Unified Operations and Crisis Management Coordination Center of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and will be staffed by personnel from the Fire Brigade, the National Immediate Assistance Center and the General Staff of National Defense.

This Unit will be responsible for the operational management of air search and rescue and airlift requests.