Τhe public prosecutor of Thessaloniki filed a case against the general manager of Ippokratio hospital for discarding mattresses and rubble to the river Gallikos, a NATURA 2000 protected wetland, beginning of the year.
Τhe issue turned into ping-pong ball between the Hospital and the Municipality and led to tragic-comic situations.
The municipality of Delta removed the mattresses from the river beginning of March and returned them to the hospital.
Pictures via local media thessnews.
According to state-run news agency amna, the file against the hospital director is related to violations of the laws for the protection of the environment.
Wetland Gallikos River: Before – After
The case became public by the local ecological group “Echedorou Fysis” and triggered the prosecutor’s intervention who also ordered a preliminary investigation.
A police investigation followed and confirmed that the massive objects came from the Hippocratic Hospital, after the renovation of ICU and Covid-19 units.
The management of the hospital had repeatedly addressed the municipality of Thessaloniki for the removal of the debris from the hospital yard, but the request was not satisfied. The municipality cited the pandemic bans and restrictions, saying the specific materials were characterized as “hospital waste” and had to be removed according to specific health measures..
Short time later, dozens of mattresses along with rubble and building materials were found in the wetland of the Gallikos river.
The case file attributes responsibilities to the commander of the hospital because he did not arrange for the safe removal of the material, notes amna.
