By Ioanna Mandrou

Prosecutorial intervention manifested at the highest level, by the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, for targeted investigations by the prosecutor’s authorities for specific projects that were not done, or that were done with bad techniques and for the mismanagement of millions of euros for anti-flooding projects in Thessaly.

After the incalculable disasters in the area, the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court Georgia Adelini, when the rescue work was completed, by her order sets the framework of the investigations and asks the local prosecutors to check in depth specific works, done after Janosbut the water took them in the recent divine event and for others that should have been done but remained on paper or have not yet been completed.

It also calls for in-depth research on funds million allocated after Janin the municipal authorities of Karditsa mainly, in other municipalities and in the Region of Thessaly which, however, instead of becoming anti-flood projects, were channeled elsewhere.

The prosecutor’s intervention is targeted, which gives them the value of an effective investigation, while the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court places from the beginning the regional governor of Thessaly, the deputy regional governors in prefectures of the region and the municipal authorities of Karditsa and Volos in the cadre of those responsible.

The order of the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court comes after the devastating floods in the Thessalian plainin order to seek, even in hindsight, responsibilities for the heavy and criminal practices of self-governing actors in the region who did not carry out necessary works to limit the tragedy.

Adeline’s intervention in detail

To Mr. First Instance Prosecutors

Volos, Karditsa, Larisa and Trikala

In view of the biblical destruction of Thessaly by the onslaught of bad weather “Daniel”with incalculable effects in the economy, the environment, the infrastructures, the properties, etc., primarily as a result of the loss of human lives and regardless of any relationship of this weather phenomenon with climate change, which however has been known to all of us for a long time, we ask for our your actions to verify any ex officio prosecuted punishable acts, such as flooding (with possible intent or negligence), manslaughter by serial omission, breach of duty, infidelity, exposure, etc.

In the above context, among others, based on the attached publications, should be investigated, in your local jurisdiction:

1.What measures exactly did they take?, Regional Governor of Thessaly, competent rural Deputy Regional Governors of Magnesia, Karditsa, Trikala and Larissa, thematic Deputy Regional Governor for climate crisis and civil protection, Mayor of Volos and relevant Deputy Mayors, Mayor of Karditsa and relevant Deputy Mayors, after the bad weather “Ianos” in 2020, at the level of prevention, i.e. execution anti-flood works, but also after the accurate prediction of the extent of the “Daniel” phenomenon by the National Meteorological Service, in order to avoid or at least reduce its effects and, above all, to protect the lives of their fellow citizens. That is, before the phenomenon, but also during the phenomenon, at the level of coordination of those responsible for the civil protection of their services.

2.The exact amount of funds allocated for anti-flood projects by the Region of Thessaly and the Municipalities of Volos and Karditsa, in the three years 2020-2023, as well as the amounts allocated for other purposes, such as e.g. for road and sports projects or for communication.

3.What anti-flood works were carried out by the Region of Thessaly in all prefectures of Thessaly, as well as by the Mayor of Volos in the Municipality of Volos, and by the Mayor of Karditsa in the Municipality of Karditsa, in the three-year period 2020-2023, which were not done and which were not completed and for what reasons. How effective were the projects that were done, as well as whether their respective studies took into account storms similar to “Daniel”.

4. If the construction of the above anti-flood works was in accordance with the rules of art and sciencesuch as for example the bridge of the stream Xeria in Almyros of Magnesia, which was affected by the floods of “Jan” and was reconstructed (“upgraded” or otherwise “restored or strengthened”) at the end of 2022 and Spring of 2023, to finally collapse part of it in September 2023, checking in case of death, in addition to the other managers and the contractors of the specific projects.

5. If the projects carried out by the Region of Thessaly and the Municipalities of Karditsa and Volos after “Ianos” were included in an overall study that connects the individual projects with the aim of addressing the problem of flooding as a whole, or piecemeal, small-scale, and without control.

6. If the allegations that the Region of Thessaly or the Municipality of Karditsa are true (or jointly) proceeded to intervene in the dam of the Karabalis river or anywhere else, in order to protect the Municipality of Karditsa from floodingalthough they knew that in this way the villages in the area would be flooded, which they did not rush to evacuate beforehand, or that deliberately and in order to prevent the city from flooding, the embankments on the upper river in the plain were not strengthened, while the embankments were strengthened towards the city of Karditsa, causing the river to overflow there and huge volumes of water to pour out, which flooded the villages of the plain.

7. If the pumping station of the Old Port Authority and the rainwater collection & expansion tanks in Neapolis were operating in the city of Volosand in an apophatic case if this contributed to the intensity of the flood.

8. Why wasn’t a special hydraulic project built?on the bridge of the OSE of Papadiamanti Street, at the Krausidona riverbed, in the city of Volos, and if due to this omission the Krausidona River overflowed, resulting in the destruction of infrastructure and property.

9. For what reasons is the completion of the Enipea dam project in Farsala delayedwhich is estimated to shield the area, with the result that three years after “Ianos”, when the marking of its criticality had been updated, it is in the second tendering phase of the study.

10. If of the funding of approximately 12,500,000 euros received by the Municipality of Karditsa for damage restoration and anti-flooding projects after Janos, 60% was allocated for “showcase” projects and “other purposes” and only the remaining money was given for related projects solely with the effects of “Janus” or the prevention of a similar threat in the future.

11. If the respondents proceeded to build showcase projects and not repair the damages of “Ianos”, in asphalt paving projects in areas that had not been affected and in contracts with such high discounts that from the beginning caused doubts about the quality and adequacy of the works, in this case also investigating the contractors of the relevant works.