“In Thessaly, the lack of adequacy and resilience of our country was expressed in the most intense way, for which the government is responsible“, said the president of the SYRIZA-PS Parliamentary Group, Sokratis Famellos, in his speech at the party’s Regional Conference in Larissa.

Argued that “the problem is that from 2019 there is no planning for Thessaly, neither by the government, nor by the previous regional Authority and the adequacy of the State is being deconstructed. The only area where there is planning and efficiency is the maintenance and management of power. But it turned out that when the citizens want, no dynamics of the power system can withstand. As in municipal elections. Even if ministers blackmail flood victims that they will not be compensated, when they have already been destroyed».

Initially, S. Famellos pointed out negative examples of competence and resilience: “In the case of civil protection and flood risk management, the responsibilities of the Government and the (former) Regional Authority, for the scale of the damage caused by Storm Daniel, are colossal. Since the scientists’ warnings were there, so were the 2018 flood risk maps that showed the exact areas of flooding. Maps that were not renewed in 2021, even though the country should have done so and the Commission has already identified the deficit. However, the warning of “Ianos” had not been used, since in contrast to the recent false declarations of Mitsotakis in the Parliament, there are clearly recent works of “Ianos” that did not hold up in Farsala and Xeria in Almyros of Magnesia. A similar deficiency had already been identified in the non-revision of the SDLAP – water management planning – in 2021, but also in the delay of projects which the SYRIZA government had committed to implement with a budget of 1 billion euros, in order to resolve the deficit water balance which is critical development issue…».

In closing, Mr. Famellos presented the proposals of the SYRIZA PS:

– We propose the application of a zero deficit clause. In the case of the flood victims, this could even be a social wage to those affected, until production starts again.

– The need for a new development model in Thessaly.

– The new development model starts from planning. The completion of urban and spatial planning must be done quickly with the participation of the two levels of self-government, integrating analyzes of vulnerability and risks.

– Reconstruction requires strong and responsible local actors. It certainly cannot be done from Athens. And this requires strengthening and assumption of responsibilities by regional and local self-government.

– The acceleration of irrigation water saving and water management projects at local and regional level.

– Access to clean and affordable energy: the measures announced last week are at least a mockery, both for the bilateral contracts of agricultural cooperatives and for the PPC’s 10% discount on rural electricity from May to September.

– Ensuring generous funding for what the primary sector requires.

– The participation of the local community in decision-making.

– The complete restructuring of Civil Protection.