New platform allows Greeks affected by fires to apply for financial aid

The Greek government is working on the reconstruction and revival of Evia island

Over the past several weeks, wildfires have severely affected large parts of Greece. That is, countless homes have now burned down, businesses have been destroyed, and people have lost their homes. Earlier this month, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis came forward to apologise for the devastation.

Now, he has shared that the government has launched the digital platform arogi.gov.gr to support those who have been affected by the fires of July and August. Through this newly-launched website, the government enables those affected to apply for financial support and secure the first resources they need to begin rebuilding their homes, businesses, and lives.

Reconstructing Northern Evia

According to Mitsotakis, Northern Evia has suffered the biggest and most significant damage. With the help of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the region, and local municipalities, the Greek government will now work to revive the island. More specifically, it has begun to remove the burned trees from the area and rebuild the infrastructure.

In addition to this, the Prime Minister released all businesses on the island from the obligation to return any repayable advances owed to the state. Expanding on this, Mitsotakis shared: "All the companies of northern Evia – regardless of whether they have been affected or not – will not return to the state even a euro from the repayable advance they had received.”

Beyond this, Mitsotakis previously appointed Stavros Benou as the head of a special committee tasked with reconstructing Northern Evia. At a meeting held on 18 August, Benou presented his ideas for the island. These included a master plan for a new forest, special urban plans, and a vision for a new tourist identity, among others.

As a whole, Benou explained that the reconstruction programme can be split into three phases: immediate relief, restoration, and long-term planning for the regeneration of the Evia area. With these actions, Mitsotakis believes that the island will become “better and more beautiful than it was”.