MacroPolis

Criticism of authorities' response intensifies as wildfires continue to rage

A number of large wildfires continue to burn across Greece, threatening inhabited areas and piling the pressure on the country’s civil defence mechanisms and the political leadership.

PM prioritises saving lives as govt fire strategy comes under more scrutiny

A wildfire that broke out on Tuesday north of Athens has put the government’s ability to tackle such natural disasters under further scrutiny after New Democracy promised a more professional approach than its predecessor, SYRIZA.

Wildfires rekindle longstanding political battle as heatwave forces agenda change

The annual political clash over the response to wildfires in Greece began in earnest this weekend as blazes raged in various parts of Greece, particularly Achaia and Rhodes.

Fire at archaeological site puts govt's crisis handling under scrutiny

A fire at the archaeological site of Mycenae has become the subject of a heated political debate, raising issues of public trust in the government and the media.

Athens waits for EU recovery fund outcome as new Mati fire claims emerge

The marathon European Council, which began on Friday and is due to continue on Monday afternoon, failed to yield an agreement on the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) after what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said was insufficient progress.

ND tries to stay on top of wildfire as court battle looms over Competition Commission

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has cut short his brief summer holiday due to a large wildfire on the island of Evia, which is the first major test for his government in terms of crisis management.

Mati fire investigation puts spotlight on authorities and government

It appears that SYRIZA is set to come under further scrutiny about its handling of last summer’s wildfire in Mati, which caused 100 deaths, after prosecutors’ investigated how authorities dealt with the disaster.

Expert report highlights systemic failings in aftermath of deadly Mati wildfire

By: Georgia Nakou

A report commissioned by the government into the causes of wildfires in Greece has identified a number of systemic failings behind the increase in the scale and frequency of destructive events, culminating in last summer’s fire at Mati, the deadliest on record.

PWC report finds Greek fire damage above average despite lower incidence

A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which examined Greece’s firefighting capabilities has found that the country’s system is ineffective when compared to peers.

Under relentless pressure from opponents, Tsipras unveils plans for new crisis agency

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras presented on Thursday the government’s plans for the overhaul of the civil protection authority, seen as one of the major weak points in the response to the Mati fire, which has now claimed 93 lives.