Wildfires: how effective is the government's response?
A wildfire broke out north of Athens on Sunday and quickly spread to the Greek capital's suburbs for the first time due to strong winds. Several villages had to be evacuated and the government activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The question of how the authorities are responding to the situation is already being hotly debated in the country's media.
Citizens left unprotected
The government is clearly not keeping its promises, criticises Naftemporiki:
“We are no strangers to fires. Every summer for decades, we have watched almost helplessly as Greece, its mountains and its fields burn. ... But this time we are experiencing something new. The fire has now reached the urban area of Attica and is burning down houses, schools, gymnasiums, shops, everything. ... Before and after the election, the government made safety and everyday life the top priority of its policy. The events of the last few days disprove the government's narrative. Citizens don't feel safe just because they have moved away from dangerous places. Attica is unprotected.”
Opposition wildly exaggerating
The government is dealing far more effectively with forest fires this year, according to the pro-government news website Liberal:
“No matter how many questions sceptical citizens ask, no matter how much the opposition complains about the 'incompetent' government, this fire is toying with the capacities of the state, which has developed its maximum potential this year. More than 30 aircraft are flying through black smoke over the ravines, several hundred firefighters have been deployed. Let's not listen to any nonsense. You can't do opposition politics with this issue. Those who try to only make themselves look ridiculous.”