epaselect epa10847869 A drone view shows a flooded village at sunrise, in Piniada village, near Trikala, in the Thessaly region, after storm 'Daniel' swept across central Greece, 08 September 2023. At least six people died and another six are still missing in the flooded central Greek region as unprecedented bad weather conditions struck the country. Most villages and the capitals of the regional units of Karditsa and Trikala are facing serious problems as a result of the heavy rains hitting the country. Homes, livestock units and businesses have been affected with incalculable damages, while residents, in some areas, are trapped in their houses, due to the height of the water. EPA-EFE/ACHILLEAS CHIRAS
Mitsotakis emphasized the significance of the restoration work, particularly highlighting its substantial cost: "The overall restoration of the damage caused by 'Daniel' and 'Elias' will exceed three billion euros. Of this, 1.4 billion is allocated solely for road and rail infrastructure, as well as the restoration of our schools." He further stressed that the effort followed a central rule: ensuring that no citizen of Thessaly, regardless of geographical isolation, felt deprived of the central state's care. He noted, "This is why we did not, at any time, consider technocratic cost-benefit approaches."
The prime minister assured those present that the roads would be rebuilt better than before to serve even the most remote corners of Thessaly. He raised several important points, stating, "Firstly, if the country were not in a good fiscal state, if our economy were not growing, if we had not regained investment grade, and if the cost of financing the Hellenic Republic had not decreased, it would be highly doubtful whether we could allocate the necessary funds to Thessaly from our national reserves."
"Secondly, the Budget's funds are not unlimited. To direct more funds to Thessaly, we had to prioritize some projects over others. It is important that you understand this, but the prioritization of Thessaly is absolutely essential given the extent of the damage from 'Daniel'. And third, we do not overlook the European dimension of these funds."