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Nightmare returns to Mandra, anti-flooding measures stuck in bureaucracy

The nightmare has returned to Mandra, Nea Peramos, Magoula in West Attica. Short but powerful and returning rainfalls since Tuesday afternoon won’t allow local residents and businessmen to take a breath. Local authorities blame the Regional authorities and bureaucracy for the absence of anti-flooding measures. The Regional authorities blame the climate change and the bureaucracy.

For one more time, powerful rain that fell twice on Wednesday had again turned streets to rivers and angry streams full of mud.

But angry are also the locals and complain that the anti-flooding measures were never implemented.

The mayor of Mandra, Ioanna Kriekouki told media that the project was stuck for months in the gears of the Greek bureaucracy. She said that she asked an appointment with the prime minister in order to have the issue accelerated but she received no response to her request yet.

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(EUROKINISSI/ÁÍÔÙÍÇÓ ÍÉÊÏËÏÐÏÕËÏÓ)

Short after the flash foods in November 2017, the regional government of Attica had announced to fund anti-flooding measures with 290 million euros. A part of these fund would be given to locals hit by the floods.

Many claimed on Wed that they never received the 5,000 euros they were supposed to although they submitted all the necessary documents.

On its part, the Regional Government of Attica says that the project proceeds in “record speed for the standards of the Greek bureaucracy” and that it is a step away from the agreement with the constructor and the begin of the project implementation.

Hundreds of Greeks lash out at Regional Governor, Rena Dourou (SYRIZA), on social media, often also with outspoken sexistic comments.

“Flooding phenomena like in Halkidiki, Volos, Samothraki, Crete, etc are partly due to climate change but nobody attacks the regional governments there,” the statement of Perifereia Attikis said.

The whole project is currently at Control Council.

The old national road Athens-Thiva but also the national highway Athens-Corinth are on and off closed to traffic due to the floods.

By 5 0′ clock in the afternoon, the Fire Service had received 60 calls to pump waters from flooded homes and businesses and 35 calls to rescue people in the areas Mandra and Magoula.

80 firemen and 40 trucks are currently operating in the area.

Locals watch up in the sky in hope that they will not spend another night in trembling for their own and the safety of their families and their properties.

PS We all know how slow Greek bureaucracy moves especially when it comes to big infrastructure works as they need the approval from 1000+1 different departments. Could anti-flooding measures have been implemented in less than 7 months? I doubt it. Maybe the government could start to change the laws ….

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One comment

  1. Politicians are too preoccupied with their own internal politics to really solve problems of the country. No politician represents the people any more, only their own personal interests or those entities who give them the most money.