Jail time for anyone starting fires in Greece

Τhose found guilty of starting fires, whether by accident or deliberately, will face time in jail, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis and Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias decided in a meeting on Thursday.

They also agreed that higher fines and penalties, including administrative fines, will be imposed on those found guilty of setting fires.
"The Justice Ministry is in the process of revising the fundamental rules of the penal code, based on which we will seek to reverse a sense of impunity that exists in Greek society. Sentences that are imposed must be served. Anyone who considers breaking the law after the change in the penal code should think twice or even three times, because the prospect of landing in jail will be very high," noted Floridis.
On his part, Kikilias underlined that the fines and penalties will be made many times higher, reaching up to 30,000 euros.
"The cost we pay every year in our effort (first of all) to protect human lives is very high. It is in the public interest, the protection of the many, of Greek society, of all the people from the scourge of wildfires. It is criminal negligence now, not just negligence," Kikilias pointed out.
As both ministers underlined, the changes in administrative fines will be made immediately, while changes in the law will be tabled to parliament when it reopens.