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This is our weekly round-up from Greece.
 

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And now, the news from this week.

Wildfires continued at a smaller scale this week when they were finally contained. The PM appeared again confident about the way the government handled the fires. Fire-fighters who spoke out about defunct vehicles were reportedly threatened with an internal investigation.

Authorities announced punitive measures for the unvaccinated citizens, effectively banning them from all indoor social life, suspending their employment in certain cases, and denying them access to public health structures for free rapid tests.

The Greek government prepares to adopt even more hardline policies against refugees. They tabled a relevant bill on deportations and returns in the light of expected migrant flows from Afghanistan. 
 

Pity the citizens who “want a helicopter above their village in every wildfire.”

According to the EU Copernicus system, as of last Saturday, more than 94,000 decares (9,424 hectares) had been burnt just in Western Attica. On the other side of Attica, in the Keratea area, 5,317 decares (stemmata) were reported burned.

Polish and Romanian fire-fighters were left almost on their own to guard the Vilia area so that the fire wouldn’t revive. However, the fire revived on Monday, burning at least four houses. Regional authorities have spoken of arson.

The fire fronts were still guarded this week, while new ones erupted - in Southern Evia, Karystos area. In Karystos, the fire passed within yards of houses and stopped when it reached the sea.

At the time of writing, all fire fronts had been contained.

Meanwhile, last Saturday there was a big demonstration in fire-ridden Northern Evia of resin producers and residents. “We want to stay in our area” was the main message to be sent to the authorities. Among others, the demonstrators demanded urgent anti-flooding works, that the local community and its knowledge be taken into account in any reforestation planning. The demonstration was ignored by the mainstream media.

Soon after you received our previous newsletter, it was reported that the firefighters whose testimony we included in our newsletter. Who revealed they were sent on duty with obsolete vehicles even with no brakes had been threatened with an internal investigation by Fire-Brigade chief officials for speaking out.

It should be noted that even ND closely affiliated officials have spoken about a wildfire mishandling. Sterea Ellada (includes Evia) regional governor Fanis Spanos, who had been politically affiliated with Athens mayor and PM’s nephew Kostas Bakoyannis, stated on Tuesday: “We were called to put out the fire all alone. No airplanes, no helicopters, no fire engines on the ground. In many cases as witnessed by our co-citizens, the very few means on the spot had no fire-fighting order. Despite these orders, many heroic firefighters got their hands on the job. I had the feeling from previous years under different governments and Civil Protection general secretaries that TV cameras were not a prerequisite for a minister to make proper communication with a regional governor - but they seem to have become one.”

The statement brought fierce reactions. Spanos later clarified that by “no fire-fighting order” he did not mean that authorities did not want to put out the fire, but that they had an order not to intervene for the safety of the fire-fighters.

PM Mitsotakis, speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, promised Greece will boost its firefighting capability by purchasing and leasing additional water-dropping aircraft. No word regarding new vehicles, despite all experts saying that if “the boot” of the fire-fighter does not enter the forest, the fires cannot be put off. He also pledged to create a special unit made up of forestry experts and firefighters. We wonder if he had such intentions, why his government did not renew the contracts of 5,000 seasonal fire-fighters at the beginning of the fire season. He added that the early warning text message system had contributed to limiting casualties.

The PM talked disparagingly of the fire-ridden. Referring to the opposition, he said: “None of your MPs have refrained from supporting the justified rage of the residents, who in every fire want a helicopter above their village.” So, is this an irrational expectation for people threatened by a wildfire?

It is interesting to note that, while Mitsotakis was making promises for a better fire-fighting mechanism in the future, the Greek police was receiving 76 brand new patrol cars, totaling a new fleet of 430 vehicles received only in 2021. At the same time, Migration Minister Mitarakis was announcing that more border guards and port policemen would be hired with fast-track procedures in the following months. The hiring of 250 border guards and 50 port policemen had been already underway and is expected to have been completed by the end of the year.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, once again praised the Civil Protection “which we turned into a battle-ready state entity” and implied the only reason he is not satisfied is that his government didn’t manage to achieve the high standards they had set as to the wildfires management.

What is more important, he did not hesitate to make politics on dead bodies. Referring to the then SYRIZA government handling the most deadly Mati fire in 2018, he turned to main opposition leader Tsipras and said: “The people will remember that in this tragedy we were counting decares, while in the previous one, coffins.”
 

Stick-only policy.

As wildfires have been destroying an immense area of Greek forests, public attention had reasonably been diverted away from coronavirus for a while. However, Covid19 cases and fatalities in Greece are unfortunately rising at a very fast pace, making experts talk about the country going through a fourth wave.

Daily cases hit a negative record on Tuesday with 4,608 new confirmed cases - the highest number of daily infections since the start of the pandemic in Greece. Thirty-two Covid-related deaths and 326 intubated Covid-patients were also registered on that day. The positivity of PCR and Rapid tests jumped to 3.78%.

A so-called “mini-lockdown” (night curfew 1 am-6 am, music ban in clubs, bars, and cafés, no parties, and gatherings of more than 20 people) was imposed to the Regional Unit of Messinia in south Peloponnese and at the same time, it was extended in the regional units of Chania, Heraklion, and Rethymno on the island of Crete. The measures will be in effect until 1 September.

The Health Ministry announced on Tuesday a series of asphyxiating restrictions for unvaccinated citizens regarding their access to work, education, entertainment, cultural events, and domestic travel. The restrictions will be in effect from 13 September 2021 until 31 March 2022.

It was announced that:

a. The obligatory Rapid test will no longer be free of charge for the unvaccinated. It will be available for them only at private labs at the price of 10 euros. In short, the unvaccinated would be excluded from the public health system. The tests would be for free only for pupils, who would have to be tested twice a week.

b. As of 13 September, rapid tests would be obligatory twice a week for the unvaccinated teachers, academics, employees in tourism, TV, movies, theaters, music, and dance performances. Since the unvaccinated would not have access to free tests, this would mean a cost of 80 euros a month for them.

c. As of 13 September, all unvaccinated employees in the public and private sector would be obliged to one test per week.

d. All hospital staff who have not vaccinated or do not have a Covid19-recovery certificate will be suspended from their employment (unpaid leave) as of 1 September. Obligatory vaccination extends to private doctors and pharmacists as well as to employees in all care facilities for the elderly and people with disabilities. Those not abiding would be fined and sanctioned.

e. In all closed working spaces, the employer would have the right by law to know who of his/her employees are vaccinated.

f. The use of masks in all external spaces where there is crowding is mandatory - and it continues to be mandatory for all indoor settings.

As to Entertainment, Culture, Travelling:

a. Admission to indoor cafes, restaurants, clubs will not be allowed without proof of Covid-19 vaccination or recovery from the disease. The unvaccinated will not be allowed in. Checks will be conducted with the CovidFree App.

b. Access to indoor cinemas, theaters, museums, and archaeological sites: Only with vaccination or recovery certificate or a negative PCR or rapid test carried out up to 48 hours earlier.

c. Access to all open and closed sports venues will not be allowed without proof of Covid-19 vaccination or recovery from the disease.

d. Access to indoor gyms: Only with vaccination or recovery certificate or a negative PCR or rapid test carried out up to 48 hours earlier.

As to Domestic Travel:

Unvaccinated travelers to all mainland and island destinations traveling by ferries, airplanes, intercity buses are obliged to a Rapid test 48 hours before traveling. The test is obligatory for all adults and children aged 12-17. Children aged 5-12 will need a self-test. Vaccinated or recovered travelers will have to provide relevant documentation.

The Health Minister noted that mobile units on a pilot project will be vaccinating people outside churches in Athens and Thessaloniki, from 29 August onwards.

In a symbolic move, a church on the island of Crete will double up a vaccination center, the first of its kind in Greece.

A large percentage of anti-vaxxers are associated with the church – clergy and worshippers.

About 53 percent of the Greek population is fully vaccinated. Authorities hope to increase that figure to 70 percent by the autumn.

However, the most worrying thing is that the rate of new vaccinations continues to decline across the country, making the prospect of herd immunity dwindle.

It is worth mentioning that there has been no specific reference as to obligatory vaccination regarding the Church and the state security forces (police, port authorities, army).

Interestingly enough, it was reported that just 58% of officers in the Hellenic Police are fully vaccinated. This is very low, taking into account that the police is the main body that has been tasked with enforcing the various health restrictions imposed by the government and its officers come in close contact with the public. It is also worrying that in front line units, such as the DIAS motorcycle-riding unit, the percentage is even lower.

Minister Kikilias emphasized that the “new measures are not punitive.” However, in an interview on Thursday, replying as to whether the state can locate the unvaccinated in the private sector, he emphasized that they can locate them “and impose fines and sanctions, which are to be defined by ministerial decree.” As to the private labs protesting on the low price the state set for the rapid tests, Kikilias referred them to the Ministry of Development.

This policy of stick (with no carrot) is however unlikely to work. Especially when Ιnterior Minister Stelios Petsas calls the unvaccinated employees “dodgers,” as he did on Monday. “Paying for the rapid test out of our pocket is an extra incentive to get the vaccine and not to be the ‘dodger’ who uses the structures free of charge when others pay for them,” Petsas said. He conveniently forgot that all citizens pay taxes for the public health structures.

And while staff in the well understaffed National Health System is already immensely strained, the Health Ministry announced on Wednesday it was suspending the holiday leave for all healthcare workers as of September.

This is to prepare for possible gaps left from unvaccinated staff who will be sent on unpaid leave. But also, because they know that there is an expected jump in hospitalizations due to Covid-19 - as is already evident.

The Greek Public Hospital Staff union (POEDIN) announced a strike and a rally in downtown Athens on Thursday to protest the mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers against Covid-19. POEDIN claims that the law-making vaccination compulsory for all health workers will only put additional strain on the public healthcare system by creating more staff shortages. In addition, POEDIN announced it is submitting a request for the suspension and annulment of the law on obligatory vaccination to the Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court. It said that 90% of health personnel are vaccinated or have natural immunity and that they are just asking for more time for their colleagues to be convinced.
 

Only rich foreigners welcome.

Speaking about coronavirus, the Greek Police imposed fines of 5,000 euros to asylum-seekers entering the country by boat under the pretext of violating the coronavirus protocol and not showing or having a Covid-19 test upon arrival.

Following a national and international outcry, the Greek Police announced on Thursday that the fines were revoked and attributed the incident to a “misinterpretation of the law by police officers.”

Racist attitudes by police officers however do not anymore come as a surprise. It has been also reported this week that the police in Kalamata city, Peloponnese, arrested thirteen German and French tourists as “their appearance was reminiscent of the Taliban.” The tourists, in traditional Islamic cloth wear, had all legal documents and they were set free.

In another racist incident, local authorities seem to “block” the arrival of the Amal doll in Kalambaka, Central Greece, after the xenophobic letter of the Metropolitan of Stage and Meteora, which stressed that he "does not give any consent and or permission for the events in question to take place”. So far, Meteora Mayor Thodoris Alekos appears as opposing the relevant festival in Kalambaka on 29 August 29 - which is to take place along with similar festivals in more than 70 European cities. Amal, a 3.5m doll, symbolizes a 9-year-old Syrian refugee girl who crosses 8 countries and makes stops in more than 70 cities.

What is more important is that a bill that enhances third-country citizens’ deportations and returns was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. The bill is aimed at “alleviating the deficiencies of the current law, which third-country citizens take advantage of to illegally stay in the country.”

The bill provides that deportation and not return procedures will be applied at the borders. Specifically, if a foreigner enters the country from a non-designated entry point and is arrested, a deportation order would be issued. The order would be immediately enforced by the police when the foreigner does not apply for asylum or if he/she applies after his application is rejected.

If deportation is the case, the foreigner will be held in custody until he is deported if authorities consider him of flight risk or if he/she is deemed "dangerous for public order" or avoids/prohibits his deportation preparation or his deportation procedure. Police is the authority to issue deportation orders, while asylum and migration authorities are to issue return orders.

The period of willful leave will be shortened - and all relevant provisions on the extension of the period of willful leave will be more strict.

Judicial means that can be employed to appeal return orders will be clearly defined, so that “there is no excessive use of them.”

The prerequisites under which Greek, international volunteers, civil society organizations and NGOs will undertake action “within an area under the Port Police or the Coast Guard authority” will be defined, so that “on the one hand, sea accidents would be avoided, on the other hand, the country’s borders would be more efficiently guarded.” The context of action and the penalties of breaching the context would be defined.

Moreover, the camp structures will be simplified from six kinds to three (Reception & Identification Centres, Closed Controlled Facilities and Controlled Shelter Facilities).

The bill also provides for access to health care and social security for the unaccompanied minors whose asylum request has been rejected but they cannot be returned.

The government, however, does not have a problem with all foreigners. Just with the destitute ones: the bill also facilitates an annual residence permit for digital nomads and increases flexibility for foreigners that have “invested” in Greece.
 

Read.
 

The Fires in Greece Are a Terrifying Warning.

Greeks fret as crises mount: Will this time be different? Anger over recent wildfires has exposed a deep-seated uncertainty in Greece: ‘Based on experience,’ said one ecological expert, ‘again nothing will change.’

55-year-old woman stabbed to death by her partner; 9th femicide in Greece in 2021.

The main suspect in the Thessaloniki woman’s murder dies by suicide.

Stefanos Ntouskos: ‘The Olympics were my vindication’ - Greek rower speaks to Kathimerini about his grueling road to Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Greek expedition raises Arctic eco-awareness.

Monitoring the dolphins of the Thermaikos Gulf.

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