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“Pruning trees”: PM Mitsotakis to legislate on state agencies responsibilities

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a plan for new legislation that will clearly define the responsibilities of all state bodies at every level after agencies and authorities blamed each other for the ongoing poweroutages in capital Athens due to fallen trees during the snow weather.. At the same time, the PM expressed his intention to arrange electricity bill discounts for consumers left without power during the recent bad weather.

At a online meeting with the parliamentary group of ruling New Democracy, Mitsotakis noted that “people’s anger was justified” and expressed displeasure at the attempts by various officials and services to shunt blame for the situation on each other.

“For this reason, it is our decision to go ahead at greater speed with one of our central pre-election pledges, which is none other than the clarification of responsibilities at all levels of state functioning, starting with the central state,” he said.

The recent bad weather had shown the problems that arose when these issues were not clear, such as in the case of who was responsible for pruning trees, when local authorities, forestry departments, regional authorities and companies such as the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) might be involved in the process.

“We will deal with it centrally through a draft bill that will be tabled by the interior ministry,” Mitsotakis said.

Another issue highlighted by the bad weather were the long-term problems in crucial infrastructure networks, Mitsotakis said. He noted that investments at HEDNO had been reduced by almost 75% in the last decade.

When the government took over in 2019, he said, the Public Power Corporation (PPC) was on the verge of going bankrupt and HEDNO had not even ordered the poles needed to cover its immediate needs.

As a good will gesture, Mitsotakis said he asked the PPC to consider reductions in the bills of households left without power.

The prime minister added that a series of actions to improve the relevant infrastructure that will be included in the National Recovery Plan, including the laying of underground power cables in some areas.

A total of 70,000 households in Athens and broader Attica were left without electricity since Monday night. By Thursday afternoon, power has been restored to 63,000, while the people in the remaining 7,000 will have to spend another night without light, heating, water, phone or a warm meal.

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