Briefing by the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Mr. Christos Triandopoulos and the Commander of the 5th Health Region of Thessaly and Central Greece, Mr. Fotis Seretis, was held by the Operations Coordination Center in Larissa today, Friday, November 3.

“Today, the 14th first aid payment was made to households, businesses, livestock units and agricultural holdings. Today, 5.6 million euros were credited to 2,028 flood victims. In total, before the completion of two months since the end of the extreme flood phenomenon, 91.9 million euros have been paid to 24,486 applicants on the first aid platform. By the end of the month, when the platform was open, more than 64,000 applications had been submitted. Requests, which – as I have underlined again – do not all correspond to beneficiaries. On the contrary, there are several that do not proceed beyond the stage of checks and cross-checks, based also on the autopsies. Autopsies that exceed 33,000 in the wider region. And, of course, the reports will continue in the coming days, as both the cross-examination and checks by the staff of the General Secretariat for Natural Disaster Recovery and State Aid continue, as well as the flow of data from the ELGA and the Regional Units to the central services of the Ministry”, said Mr Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Mr. Christos Triandopoulos.

He stated that the first aid payments to agricultural holdings and livestock units are determined by the data that comes to the Ministry for cross-checking by ELGA. While first aid payments to businesses are determined by the data sent by the Regions to the Ministry.

He added that “the work of all involved continues at the same intensive pace, while our daily concern is – by all means – to reduce times, increase payments and strengthen as many of our fellow citizens as possible, in order to respond to the needs of flood victims. And we are doing this in collaboration with the Regions to implement the framework of state aid to businesses and agricultural holdings, so that the project can proceed as quickly as possible.

In this direction, in November, in close cooperation with the Region of Thessaly:

– the number of Regional State Aid Committees increases significantly,

– the number of executives who will deal with this project in the Region is increasing

– an administrative support office for the State Aid Committees is created in each Regional Unit,

– an administrative support mechanism for the Directorate of State Aid is created and

– the executive potential of the Directorate of State Aid is strengthened”

In addition, in addition to the first aid, he noted that an advance payment of 35% of the estimated damage is underway, in order to strengthen – as quickly as possible – the businesses, until the payment of the final grant, which will reach 70% of the estimated damage, is completed. .

Also, with regard to businesses and especially their employees, next week the Ministry of Labor and Social Security will pay the special aid to the employees of businesses that were affected by the flood phenomenon – as this was confirmed by the services of the Region – and have join the work suspension regime.

At the same time, in addition to the horizontal measures for businesses, he said that – as I mentioned last week – targeted measures for sectors and businesses are also being launched.

“One such case is, with strict targeting and perimeter, and the areas with significant tourism activity that were adversely affected by the natural disaster, in terms of safe road access and water quality issues during the previous period.

And I want to underline that I am referring to the previous period, as now the regions of Thessaly do not have issues preventing friends from other regions from visiting.

On the contrary, they have many reasons and beauties for someone to visit them – as he did, after all, for so many years.

As far as the aid is concerned, the relevant preparatory work has already been done with the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, as well as with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and all the Ministries involved, in collaboration with industry representatives.

And in the following days, the relevant announcements will be launched.

The targeted measures, in addition to the horizontal ones, will continue in the next period, as the analysis and planning by the co-competent Ministries matures.

Targeted and horizontal measures for both businesses and farms.

Already, the provision has been enacted that paves the way for the granting of aid – as announced by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and Minister Lefteris Avgenakis – to the primary sector through ELGA within November.

And a series of additional measures are being launched by the relevant Ministry.

Finally, the emergency funding to the local self-government organizations of Thessaly continues.

With the latest decision, an additional 11 million euros are approved, with the result that the emergency funding for the Region and the Municipalities of Thessaly is close to 95 million euros.

And in a close context with the Municipalities, the granting of houses for the temporary housing of the flood victims is progressing.

The procedures for the Municipalities of Trikkaia and Limni Plastira are already underway, while we are in constant and close communication with all the Municipalities, so that they can be granted shelters when requested.

In this context, therefore, of close cooperation with everyone, we continue to support and restore Thessaly.

We continue to work intensively, with results and presence in the field. We all continue together,” he said.