The KKE’s statement highlights the rapid advance of the fire, which originated in Varnavas and quickly spread through several residential areas, including Kapandriti, Dionysos, and Penteli, reaching as far as Patima Chalandriou and Patima Vrilissia—just a few kilometres from central Athens.
The KKE condemned the government’s claims of preparedness, asserting that the state’s response was wholly inadequate, particularly given that the area had been devastated by similar fires five times in recent years. The party criticised the reliance on evacuation orders, which it derided as a “save yourself” doctrine, and the use of the climate crisis and prolonged drought as excuses for the government’s failures.
The KKE also took aim at the broader European response, arguing that the much-touted “European solidarity” and the rescEU mechanism proved insufficient. The party pointed out that crucial firefighting equipment, recycled from country to country under rescEU, arrived too late—two days after the fire had already wrought significant damage.
Moreover, the KKE criticised the government and the European Union’s focus on modernising firefighting infrastructure through programmes like the “Aegis” initiative. While these efforts are presented as advancements, the KKE argued that they fail to address the fundamental issues: the lack of comprehensive forest management plans, insufficient staffing, and the chronic underfunding of fire prevention services. The party also suggested that these modernisation efforts serve more as an alibi for not taking substantive measures and are driven by priorities aligned with NATO rather than the needs of the people.
The KKE’s critique culminated in a series of questions posed to the European Commission by KKE MEPs Kostas Papadakis and Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos:
- Compensation for those affected: What is the European Commission’s stance on the urgent need for 100% compensation for all those affected by the fire, to be provided from the EU Solidarity Fund?
- Forest commercialisation and prevention plans: How does the Commission address the impact of the commercialisation of forests and land, and the cost-benefit approach that hinders the development of comprehensive fire prevention and protection plans, resulting in tragic consequences for the lives of the people?
- RescEU’s effectiveness: Given the delays and the limited availability of firefighting equipment under the rescEU mechanism, how does the Commission plan to ensure that such vital resources are more readily available and effectively deployed in future emergencies?
In closing, the KKE praised the self-sacrifice and solidarity of the local residents, who, alongside firefighters, fought heroically to save lives and properties. The party reiterated its belief that “only the people can save the people,” calling for a more robust and people-centred approach to disaster prevention and response.
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