The Greek government on Tuesday announced an emergency set of fire relief measures for the affected residents across the northeast part of Attica prefecture and several districts in northern Athens below the slopes of Mt. Penteli and Mt. Dionysos.
The urgent fire relief measures, under the coordination of the relevant climate crisis and civil protection ministry, come in the wake of huge conflagration that erupted early Sunday afternoon from the Varnavas township in extreme northeast Attica and then spread rapidly south and southwest on the back of gusty winds.
One measure – to be accessed through the online platform arogi.gov.gr – allows fire-stricken residents and businesses to file claims for damaged residences and buildings without the previous “red tape” that characterized such procedures with Greek state bureaucracy in the past. In the first phase, the range of compensation is between 2,000 and 4,000 euros.
Another measure is a temporary rent or co-habitation subsidy for people whose residence was damaged – ranging between 300 and 500 euros per month.
Up to 6,000 euros in compensation will be available to households whose belongings were damaged.
A first installation of compensation to affected businesses is envisioned, with further installations depending on the level of damages ascertained and recorded.
In terms of damaged crops and lost animal stock, the relevant agriculture ministry and the Attica prefecture regional authority will assess damage and issue compensation.
Another relief measure is a suspension of payments to the tax bureau – for six months – for individual taxpayers and businesses in areas declared as fire-stricken. A similar relief measure will suspend the seizure of assets for arrears to the tax bureau, again for six months, as well as a prominent three-year hiatus from paying the property tax (ENFIA).
Businesses whose operation has been interrupted by wildfire damage will retain the right to temporarily suspend labor contracts of employees, with the latter provided a corresponding monthly benefit from the state.
Finally, extra funding will be provided to affected local government entities. Specifically, a total of 4.7 million euros will be distributed to eight municipalities in north Athens and the northeast part of Attica prefecture to deal with the repercussions of the blazes.
