“We’re always striving to get better,” Mitsotakis stated. “We don’t expect the solution to just appear on its own. Significant work is needed in the area of prevention.” His comments come as residents in the fire-stricken areas, along with opposition parties, express frustration over what they see as insufficient aerial firefighting resources.

Mitsotakis also urged against discrediting the efforts of the state apparatus, including pilots, firefighters, and volunteers, in the midst of political confrontation. “The pilots, the firefighters, the volunteers have all done their part,” he said. “We must learn from every fire that escapes, especially in difficult zones where the forest meets urban areas.”

During his visit, Mitsotakis thanked the pilots and support technicians for their work under extreme conditions. He acknowledged the challenges faced by those operating ageing CL-215 aircraft and reiterated the government’s commitment to acquiring new Canadair 515 aircraft, though he noted that the process would take several years due to production timelines.

Opposition demands transparency and accountability

Despite the Prime Minister’s assurances, opposition leaders have continued to question the government’s handling of the crisis. Stefanos Kasselakis, leader of the SYRIZA party, has been particularly vocal, disputing official claims about the number of aerial vehicles deployed. During a visit to the Civil Protection Coordination Centre, Kasselakis observed only three aircraft in operation, contrasting sharply with the Fire Department’s report that 32 aerial vehicles had been engaged.

In a formal request, Kasselakis and the SYRIZA-PS Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Department Head, Symeon Kedikoglou, have demanded access to telematics data and flight permits for all aerial operations from the onset of the fire until flights ceased due to darkness on Monday evening. They accuse the government of systematically misleading the public about the availability and deployment of firefighting resources.

The Fire Service has since released data detailing aerial activity during the fires, but questions remain. While the service provided information on late afternoon and evening flights, it has yet to clarify operations during the critical early hours of the fire on Sunday and Monday morning.

Broader political fallout and calls for reform

The handling of the fires has sparked a broader political debate. SYRIZA has called for the immediate dismissal of Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, accusing him of mismanagement and misinformation. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has also criticised the government for failing to address long-standing issues, such as the lack of prevention measures and the chronic understaffing of firefighting services, with 4,000 vacancies still unfilled.

Nikos Androulakis, leader of PASOK, has called for a pre-agreed debate in Parliament on the fires, urging Prime Minister Mitsotakis to take responsibility for what he described as the “staff mess” of his administration. Androulakis stressed the need for urgent reforms to the civil protection system, highlighting the inadequate absorption of Recovery Fund resources for civil protection, which currently stands at just 1%.

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