PM Mitsotakis: Measures to Deal with Natural Disasters in Greece

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair. Photo source: Press Office of PM

“What the Greek state and the citizens have lost will be recovered without the mistakes of the past,” Greece’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, pledged on Saturday.

Speaking during the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), the Greek PM focused on the “largest wildfires and floods” Greece has ever seen.

“I went to Evros and Thessaly and saw the disasters and desperation of the residents in the face of the attack of nature, and my commitments are twofold,” he said.

“Firstly, what we have lost, state and citizens, we will rebuild together. But we will rebuild it better and without the mistakes of the past,” he said, adding that European and national resources will help bring “life, society and economy” back to the affected areas.

Focusing on the recent floods, the Greek PM said the government’s first priority is to help the citizens, support businesses, farmers and stockbreeders.

“The first payments began yesterday,” he said, referring to the recently announced relief measures for the flood-stricken in Thessaly.

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaking in front of a video wall showing scenes of the recent flooding in Thessaly.

Staying on the subject, Mitsotakis said that 600 million euros will go towards a special fund to tackle the effects of climate change with half of the funds to come from an increase to the daily stayover tax at Greek hotels.

Moreover, he announced that a Thessaly Water Management Organization will be established under the ministries of Infrastructure and Environment to implement flood control projects.

Other measures announced for natural disasters in Greece include the recruitment of firefighters and foresters and the placement of heat sensors and cameras in fire detection drones.

The PM added that the government will make property insurance mandatory for large to medium-sized businesses in certain regions, underlining that those who insure their properties for natural disasters will receive a 10 percent discount on their Uniform Real Estate Ownership Tax (ENFIA).

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the recruitment of more firefighters and foresters in Greece.

In addition, the PM said that the economic support measure “Market Pass” will continue until the end of the year only in Thessaly and Evros, the two areas in Greece affected the most by this year’s natural disasters. The extension of the “Market Pass” is added to a series of measures announced recently by the government to support citizens and businesses in Thessaly and Evros.

Focusing on measures to combat tax evasion, the Greek PM announced that the cash registers of 450,000 businesses will be connected to POS by spring 2024; electronic payments throughout the retail market will expand; and electronic payments for the purchase and sale of real estate will be mandatory.

The minister also announced a number of economic measures including a new increase in the minimum wage from April, a new annual increase in pensions in January and an increase in public sector employees’ salaries by 10.5 percent as of January 1,2024.

He added that the subsidy for heating oil and electricity for low-income citizens will continue and also that new measures will be taken to maintain stable and reduced prices for basic products.