“We are living in days of collapse. We see once again the absolute incompetence of the “staff” state”, stressed the press representative of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, Stergios Kalpakis, speaking to “Kokkino 105.5 FM”.

“Mr. Mitsotakis was just saying on July 7 that we are ready for the fire season. We experienced the devastating fires of July and a month later we are experiencing an even greater disaster with human losses and a huge environmental disaster”, noted Stergios Kalpakis and added: “Two typical examples of this incompetence are that even sensitive facilities, such as the military installations in Nea Aghialos in July and now the largest regional hospital in Northern Greece, in Alexandroupolis”.

Asked to comment on Mr. Kikilia’s statements yesterday, he said that the government is trying to send the message that we cannot do anything because of climate change. “To deal with a really difficult situation, plans are needed. Instead, we see only sloppiness. The civil protection law brought by the ND government since March 2020 is suspended. Today we are still with the chaotic provisions of 2003 and 2014”, underlined Stergios Kalpakis.

“The SYRIZA government in 2019 had delivered a draft law on civil protection, which provided for the clarification of responsibilities, the coordination of co-competent bodies, the creation of local civil protection units in the municipalities. And they put it aside,” he said.

“In the fall of 2021, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection will be established by the ND, with the relevant law being suspended and without an organizational chart – Mr. Kikilias also admitted this a few days ago”, emphasized Stergios Kalpakis. “Also, one of the first actions of the ND government in 2019 was to stop a forest protection program with 5,000 workers, which was critical because these people were doing work in the forest and clearing fuel,” he added.

He also emphasized that “from the Recovery Fund, out of a budget of 187.5 million euros for civil protection, the Mitsotakis government utilized 938,000 euros, just 0.5%.”

“As far as staff shortages are concerned, we heard Mr. Kikilia, 15 days ago, say that the first priority is to hire 500 new firefighters. Now it has become a top priority, after four years? And while we have experienced the devastating fires of 2021? While they are sending firefighters to cover the gaps in the EKAV because they did not recruit even in the EKAV…”, said Stergios Kalpakis.

In response to a question regarding the request of SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance for the impeachment of the MP of the Hellenic Solution, Paris Papadakis, to the Ethics Committee of the Parliament, he noted: “We saw and read horrible, chilling things about pogroms against immigrants, we saw the trailer with the 13 people, phenomena of self-righteousness and rapture of people – things unimaginable that refer to dark times.’ “The issue is what the government is doing to deal with them. Because in addition to the arrest of the three people who had put the people in the trailer, we see videos of unsolicited militia directing people to such practices, so it seems that this is a more general situation. For our part, we requested the referral of Mr. Papadakis, the member of the Hellenic Solution, to the Ethics Committee of the Parliament, for inciting hateful events”, he pointed out. “And I was particularly saddened by the position of the government representative, Mr. Marinakis, yesterday, who said that those who carry out these heinous pogroms are citizens who are “pushed” into these illegal acts. If this is not a business of justification, then what is? We expect at least the president of the Parliament, Mr. Tassoulas, to immediately initiate the impeachment process of Mr. Papadakis”, he noted.