Sifting through the wreckage of fires of biblical proportions, people in Greece have been turning their anger on the authorities in much the same way as they did in Portugal a year ago.
But this time round, Greek media has a precedent: the example of minister of internal administration Constança Urbano de Sousa who (finally) resigned after the worst two fire tragedies in Portugal’s living memory.
Daily paper Kathimerini writes: “A resignation is imperative. When the number of dead is expected to exceed 100, when the extent of the disaster becomes impossible to erase, when the inadequacy of the State machine is revealed in such a tragic way, someone has to take political responsibility.
“The example of Portuguese minister of internal administration Constança Urbano de Sousa, who resigned last November after disastrous forest fires in her country, is fresh in our memory.
"The resignation of at least one Greek minister would show the government respects the victims. An indescribable tragedy, as prime minister Alexis Tsipras called it, demands political catharsis”.
Latest news coming out of the eastern area of the country blighted by 15 blazes that “started simultaneously” is that arson will have been behind the tragedy.
Evacuation plans - very much like the situation in Portugal - were not enacted. One mayor has told reporters: "Citizens do not follow evacuation plans. They stay behind to protect their households,"
By natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
Article by kind permission of the Portugal Resident
