ekathimerini.com - the Greek Letter - 11 August 2024 - Greece battles fires on multiple fronts

 

Greece battles fires on multiple fronts[AP Photo/Derek Gatopoulos] Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Firefighters across the country battled dozens of blazes, from the island of Crete in the south to Serres in the north, with a major fire breaking out near Athens on Sunday. The sky above the capital has darkened, as a fire rages in the Varnava region near Mt. Penteli to the north of Athens. More than 190 firefighters, 40 trucks, and 11 aircraft are trying to put out the blaze that is fuelled by strong winds, with flames reportedly reaching twenty-five meters tall. Several nearby settlements and villages have been issued evacuation orders.   The fire in the Rethymno area of Crete burned for three days, with specialist teams being sent from Athens to assist local firefighters. Over 300 firefighters and dozens of vehicles and aircraft were involved in operations, while several evacuation orders were issued to nearby settlements. In response to the severity of the devastation in the region, the Civil Protection Ministry declared a state of emergency in the affected municipalities that will be in effect until September 9. There are widespread fears that the local economy will be severely impacted as the fires have destroyed hundreds of acres of productive agricultural land, including olive groves. Despite the fact that Greece has recorded the outbreak of more than 2000 fires this summer, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias warned the public that the coming week will be among the hardest. Adverse weather conditions next week, including high temperatures and strong winds, will create a volatile situation until the 15th of August, with more than half the country being placed on the highest level of alert. “I have requested the implementation of emergency measures, concerning the army, the police, the volunteers, the Fire Service and local government,” he noted after a meeting of the Scientific Risk Assessment Committee. They include the complete closure of parks and wooded areas in high-risk areas, with increased patrols by both the Hellenic Police and the armed forces. Spotlight Emmanouil Karalis, who won the pole vaulting bronze medal, and artistic swimmer Evangelia Platanioti, who finished sixth in Saturday’s final, were selected as Greece’s flag bearers for the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. Greece’s total medal haul was eight medals, with one gold, one silver, and six bronze medals. Long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou won his second consecutive Olympic long jump gold medal, joining the legendary American track and field athlete Carl Lewis as the only men to have done so. “I am very happy, but I feel I could have achieved even more,” said Tentoglou following the event. Apostolos Christou won the silver medal in the 200m backstroke final last week, Greece’s first ever pool swimming medal. Aside from the aforementioned Karalis, Greece also won bronze in men’s rings (Lefteris Petrounias), men’s 90kg judo (Thodoris Tselidis), men’s 86kg freestyle wrestling (Dauren Kurugliev), men’s lightweight double sculls (Petros Gkaidatzis and Antonios Papakonstantinou), and women’s lightweight double sculls (Zoe Fitsiou and Milena Kontou).   The resignation of SYRIZA MP Othon Iliopoulos, the associate professor of medicine of Harvard Medical School who had been the first-ranked candidate on the party’s statewide list in last year’s elections, has opened a path for party leader Stefanos Kasselakis to assume a parliamentary seat. “I hope that the act of my resignation will not deprive my fellow Greeks abroad from the possibility of representation, as I am resigning in favour of my fellow expatriate Greek on the ballot, and elected leader of SYRIZA, Stefanos Kasselakis,” said Iliopoulos. However, Kasselakis was the ninth candidate on the list and the seat will have to be refused by all the runners-up who were placed above him on the list. They include former party spokesperson Popi Tsapanidou, who left the party following the elections in June 2023, and former justice minister Michalis Kalogirou, a close collaborator of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras.

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OPINION Tom EllisEditor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition The continuing illegal construction on Mykonos[Shutterstock] Promises made to restore the rule of law and effectively deal with the illegal construction in Mykonos, arguably the most famous Greek island, have not been carried out. At least not yet, and definitely not to the extend needed to start making things right. To be fair, it is not an easy task. Strong interests and powerful people with influence are involved. Still, the government has to show the necessary resolve and fight corruption. Despite numerous inspections and discoveries by the island’s police, the urban planning abuses continue unabated. There have been very few, if any, cases of illegal constructions being terminated, or serious fines being imposed. There is a lot of blame to go around, and often it is not clear where the main responsibility lies. What is certain though is that the situation has come to an impasse. The recent murder of a surveyor, and last year’s beating of an archaeologist, put human faces to the ongoing criminal behavior that not only tarnishes the image of Mykonos, but that of Greece as whole. That sad reality is reason enough for the government to act to end the abuses and to do so immediately and with the necessary dedication and forcefulness the present dire situation entails.

CHART OF THE WEEK

The average price for a hotel room in Athens continues to soar and topped 200 euros in June (206.44 euros per night), a 17.7% year-on-year increase from 2023 and a total of 33% higher from the 150-euro average recorded in June 2022. Demand for rooms in Athens continues to be one of the main drivers of high prices, with international visitors, in particular, viewing the Greek capital as a standalone destination and more than just a layover stay between their arrival and travelling to the Greek islands. The occupancy rate stands at 91.7%. It is very likely that prices have continued to rise in July.

ESCAPADE Aegina: Bright with art and inspiration The island of Aegina, only a 40-minute boat ride from Piraeus, feels like a world apart, a place where creativity reigns supreme. Go to article >

ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL

“The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,383.81 points on Friday, down 3.3% from last week. The market struggled to rebound from a 6.27% drop on Monday, as stock markets tumbled globally.”

“Greece’s banking sector continues to move towards digitalization, with more than 6.2 million accounts being accessed through mobile banking applications (up 41% in the last two years). At the same time, the value of credit and debit card payments was up 12.5% in the second quarter of 2024.”

“Approximately 2 billion euros are expected to be invested to expand Greece’s total airport capacity, with the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund also prepared to sell 20 regional airports to private operators. At the same time, passenger and merchant marine captains are warning of inadequate infrastructure at the country’s ports and have called for more investment.”

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA

12/08/2024Sheep and Goat Plague: Emergency measures banning the movement and slaughter of sheep and goats will continue in several regions across the country. 15/08/2024Dormition of the Virgin Mary: One of the most important religious holidays on the Greek Orthodox Calendar, the 15th of August is a national holiday. 18/08/2024International Lighthouse Day: The Hellenic Navy has announced that 18 lighthouses across Greece will be open to visitors on Sunday.

Editor's PickThese dilapidated and vandalized benches next to the arch fulfill their symbolic role. What’s most telling is that they reveal that no “responsible” official actually bothers to walk around the city.Nikos VatopoulosRead the article

PODCAST

03/08/2024 • 13:5650 years later, are efforts to solve the Cyprus problem at a critical juncture?Menelaos Menelaou, the Greek Cypriot Negotiator for the Cyprus Problem, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss whether there is still a window of opportunity for talks to resume to resolve the Cyprus problem even as Ankara seems to be shutting the door to a solution with its hard-line position in favor of a two state solution.

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