The Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection spoke about the progress of this year’s, as he said, – the most difficult of the last 20 years – fire fighting season, Vassilis Kikiliasin an interview he gave to Mega.

“I would like us to be judged by the experts as we have already seen from society that they embrace our firefighters, foresters, volunteers, all these fighters who made an excellent effort this summer,” said the minister.

Referring to an article by the director of the National Observatory of Athens, Emmanuel Pleionis, he commented: “Mr. Pleionis is neither New Democracy nor right-wing. In fact, he has repeatedly criticized the government and the Ministry of Civil Protection for the part of prevention and firefighting. However, in his article in BIMA, Mr. Pleionis underlines that this year the fire-meteorological conditions were the worst of the last 40 years, that the fires started far above the 20-year average and yet the burned areas so far are below the 20-year average. He specifically says: “This means that this year’s response to forest fires is the most effective despite the dramatic evolution of the fire in Northeast Attica. We have a lower burned area per fire than the 20-year average despite extremely adverse conditions.”

Mr. Kikilias also spoke about the large number of arrests made this year for arson, with several of those responsible for the fires being remanded in custody, as a result of changes to the new Criminal Code.

Regarding the compensations of the residents affected by the Varnavas fire, he stated that at the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, led by the Deputy Minister, Christos Triandopoulos, very fast and methodical work was done, as a result of which they have been recorded together with the engineers and the mayors all the houses that have been damaged and in these days the procedures for the compensations begin. “The procedures are fast because you remember that for many, many years this was requested and many years passed before people were compensated,” he said characteristically.

Finally, regarding the risk of flooding, Mr. Kikilias stated: “From the end of August, right after the 15th of August and while we were still fighting the fires – which we continue to fight – the general secretariat of Civil Protection sent letters to everyone , Regions and Municipalities, for their exact responsibilities – which they know – in everything that has to do with the cleaning of wells, siphons for the Municipalities and the cleaning of streams for the Regions” and added: “Within this week we will call all the Municipalities and the Region of Attica for a first meeting, as we did if you remember last March for the fires. And then we will go to all the rest of Greece to do the same with all the Municipalities and Regions”.