Tsipras – Mr. Mitsotakis has not realized the magnitude of the disaster

The president of SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, referred to the unprecedented magnitude of the destruction in the burned areas in Ilia during the statement he gave to journalists during his tour there, while he launched an attack against the prime minister, following today’s press conference.

“Unfortunately, the magnitude of the disaster exceeds any estimate that can be made if one does not come to see it in person. Within a week more than a million stremma (10 stremma = 1 hectare) of forest have been burned. More than 200 homes may have been completely burned down. This is the biggest environmental and man-made disaster that has occurred since the Second World War and in such a short period of time,” he underlined.

Referring to what the Prime Minister said today, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “I am very sorry but unfortunately I can not find a response to the call I made two days ago to have a minimum level of agreement on seriousness and responsibility.”

“He has not realized the magnitude of his responsibilities”

“Listening today and seeing the Prime Minister, Mr. Mitsotakis, I and every citizen feel greater anxiety and greater insecurity during these hours. He has not realized the magnitude of the catastrophe, he has not realized the magnitude of the weakness of the state mechanism and the incompetence of the executive state, unfortunately he has not realized the magnitude of his responsibilities. There are times when the constant effort of beautification and propaganda hits the wall of reality,” he said, stressing that “and now is such a moment, no more propaganda, no more beautification, no more wooden words.”

As he commented, “for example, at a time when our fellow citizens are asking for answers for today and tomorrow that awaits them, not only for what was to blame, an attempt can be made to give a picture of greater funding for wound healing, while “The money is less than before and with procedures that will eventually lead these people to be indebted to the banks.”

Tsipras: “Existential question of agony for the people of the burned areas”

“I am asking an existential question of anxiety for the people of the burned areas, because it is not just a question of how they will spend a week, two weeks, a month. The question is how will they stay in their place, in the countryside that has been destroyed, how will their children go to school, what jobs will they do to have a minimum income, a minimum guaranteed income to live,” he continued, while describing the “seven-point proposal” he tabled as “a basis for a serious reconstruction plan”. “The anxiety of the residents in the areas I visit is obvious”, he added and repeated, as he said “once again, an appeal of seriousness and responsibility towards Mr. Mitsotakis”.

“Talk to people who have been hurt”

“And it would be better in these hours instead of being surrounded by sycophants and instead of being led to statements of failure and tragedy, one would say, that is, not to know the plan that worked or to say that we will just be better next year, let him come here,” he stressed, inviting him to” talk to the people who have been affected, with the mayors, most of whom may be from his own party, to get a picture of reality. It is a first step to understand the reality to go one step further to plan the next day,” he added and in closing, he thanked and congratulated all the people of the front line and especially the volunteers, “those who many times ignored even orders to leave at the risk of their lives to save what could be saved, to save property, to save human lives, to save animals.”

“A big thank you to this wave, the volunteer movement of forest firefighters but also to the wave of volunteerism from end to end throughout the country that is currently giving hope and courage in the darkness of the natural environment,” he concluded.