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Greek newspaper cites “example of Portuguese minister” to demand resignations following country's killer fires

Green light given for “1234 young doctors”: Algarve to get 50Sifting 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

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Comments  

+2 #3 Daphne 2018-07-29 09:26
This is a double edged compliment to the Portuguese establishment. On the one hand they levered out a sub standard minister that should never have been appointed but on the other hand there wide spread administrative and communication failings in tackling the fires that were exposed in the official enquiries. Even arguments over what caused the ignition. The worry being that these are also being re-visited by the Greeks as examples of what can go wrong in official enquiries that make Portugal look silly. The Greeks will also be scrutinising recent Portuguese news that so much of the forests have been replanted with 'fire bomb' eucalyptus and clearances along roadsides for escape routes has barely begun. The Greeks intending to avoid these mistakes.
+1 #2 Ed 2018-07-28 13:09
Quoting Jim Talbot:
These Greeks must know the routine by now. Constança Urbano de Sousa resigned, being seen as wholly inadequate long before the fires. So what major, well remunerated, post is she now in? (Ed. maybe a bit of sleuthing for your team?)
Viewers of Portuguese TV last night will have seen an ex-PSD Health Minister, now CEO of CGD Bank, Paulo Macedo presenting the Banks quarterly results. So like all the other ex-Ministers and senior political's - jobs for the boys.
'Team' - what a wonderful thought....
+7 #1 Jim Talbot 2018-07-28 10:47
These Greeks must know the routine by now. Constança Urbano de Sousa resigned, being seen as wholly inadequate long before the fires. So what major, well remunerated, post is she now in? (Ed. maybe a bit of sleuthing for your team?)
Viewers of Portuguese TV last night will have seen an ex-PSD Health Minister, now CEO of CGD Bank, Paulo Macedo presenting the Banks quarterly results. So like all the other ex-Ministers and senior political's - jobs for the boys.

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