Greek Government to compensate fire victims

As Greece’s fire department says it’s close to containing a wildfire burning north of Athens for the fourth day, the Greek government has announced it will compensate homeowners and owners of production units who had their houses and property destroyed by the fires burning across the country.

The decision was made during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday chaired by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

According to the Prime Minister’s office after a four-hour meeting, the government will immediately start recording damages, offer tax relief measures to those affected by the fires, implement flood protection projects, mark burned land through satellite and declare it to be reforested. The government will also assist those who lost their primary homes by finding them some temporary accommodation and funding their rent.

Concerning the State’s response to the wildfires, the cabinet concluded it “operated very well, as is apparent from the result.”

Among those participating in the meeting were Interior Minister Panos Skouletis, Alternate Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Toskas, State Minister Alekos Flambouraris, Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos and the head of the fire department, Vasilis Kapelios.