In good mood and relaxed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared on TV screens on Wednesday with a plan for the reconstruction of the fire-stricken Evia. With new age slogans “holistic approach” the PM urged the fire-stricken people of Evia to cooperate with the state with “positive energy.” He promised to “rebuild northern Evia better and more beautiful than it was.”
“And through this great catastrophe, what I hold back is this optimism of many people in Northern Evia, who rushed to take control of the situation in their hands. With the help of the state, with the support of the state, we will rebuild northern Evia better and more beautiful than it was,” the Prime Minister said among others.
The government will disburse the first payouts for people whose homes and businesses were damaged in the great fire of North Evia within the next few days, the PM said H announced, the emergency aid being disbursed as a loan will now be without obligation of return, whether a business is fire affected or not.
Mitsotakis said that the government was focusing on the wildfire in North Evia compared to other large fires in the Peloponnese and north of Athens because the wildfire in Evia damaged the area’s entire production model.
He also stressed that the immediate priority is to clear the area and stabilize the soil: “We are moving ahead with the removal of burned trees and with infrastructural works, to retain the soil in place – first in order to prevent floods, and then to guarantee that reforestation will be assumed under the best terms possible.”
The PM added that “we must begin now to plan for the future of North Evia through a holistic approach, using its significant comparative advantages and thinking outside the box.”
Mitsotakis called for collaboration of the local governments and the population.
Next to ministers assigned with the reconstruction “but local agencies are also involved – the Region, and the two townships that have been harmed the most. They will speak with us, point us on the way, direct us, and contribute their thoughts,” Mitsotakis said, adding that none of this could succeed without the positive energy of the same people who were affected by the fires.
The PM introduced Stavros Benos, a former PASOK minister, now assigned with the reconstruction of Northern Evia, On his part, the 73-year-old Benos outlined the direction of the committee’s work to help Evia reconstruct its economy and develop it.
Ιn just three days since his appointment Benos managed the unmanageable: He presented 7 studies for the reconstruction of northern Evia:
– special urban plans
– master plan for a new forest
– transportation studies for critical infrastructure and networks
– study of the human resources and the future of labor
– study for agrinutrition
– study of a new tourism identity
– study for a green zone, a digital wave, and an innovation space
PS The usual mean Greeks criticized the Prime Minister for being relaxed and in good mood while a forest fire was raging for the 3rd day right next door Athens in Vilia and that he wants to “rebuild” Evia when the majority of destruction affected forest and agricultural land, livestock and wildlife.
BTW: “holistic approach” was a term used also by the IMF and Christine Lagard in the “good old times” of bailout agreements. Only God knows of the PM’s neo-liberal plans for northern Evia….
You’ve got to love a Prime Minister who tells the many people who’ve lost their livelihood in other areas such as the Peloponnese that they can just go starve and die for all he cares… Not to mention the many seasonal workers who earned what little they could by working the fields and helping with the harvest, who will now also be faced with very dark choices.
Obvious communication operations for the voters, completely callous and contemptuous of people in deep distress, and clearly willfully ignorant of the realities of life of normal people.
But then, what else could one expect from Mr. Mitsotakis and his ilk?
“We’re gonna allow our friends’ companies to build new hotels that they couldn’t build before because of the protected forest by sending positive energy and good vibes their way. But not just positive energy – we’re gonna take a holistic approach in our actions, somewhat similar to the lengths we went through for the Kassiopi Project in Corfu. Do you plebs even know how many laws we had to change and how many protected forests we had to burn l… I mean, hurdles we had to jump?
“Positive energy”….you can tell this guy hasn’t had to work or struggle a single day in his pampered little life. Reminiscent of the time that he realized that normal people rely not on positive vibes (and family money) but on their salaries to pay their bills and get through life, only for him to “forget” again with ρεπό.
‘master plan’ for a forest? see, forests have had their own ‘master plan’ for millions of years. there is absolutely nothing good that comes of some bureacrats and their greedy corporate toadies having a ‘master plan’ for a forest.
all the rest? they can’t conceal their delight at the new ‘investments’ coming their way! ‘η …. θελει να κρυφτει και η χαρα δεν την αφηνει’
And where this mister thinks the money comes to rebuild all when it has not been ever to anything????Oh,from North Europe,”loan”from Finland to make a New Glory of Greece again ….
Such A Clown. Making jokes after others .
Like”no victims”.