Chr. Triantopoulos: The package of rehabilitation measures in Northern Evia exceeds 200 million euros

“Opposition blinders did not allow Mr. Tsipras to see the support and rehabilitation measures taken in Northern Evia after the devastating summer fires, nor the very frequent presence of government officials in the area to oversee the implementation of the projects,” he said. Despite the Prime Minister in charge of state aid and recovery from natural disasters Christos Triantopoulos responding to the statements of the leader of the official opposition in Evia.

“Many of his proposals, such as the one he announced for five-year programs for resin growers, lag far behind the measures being promoted and provide, among other things, for a seven-year employment program, in an expanded support network with a horizon of fifteen years.”

Mr. Triantopoulos points out that the package of support and rehabilitation measures exceeds 200 million euros, taking into account the allocations, credits and commitment of resources so far. “This is a package, the amount of which will increase significantly as the implementation of support and rehabilitation measures in the fire-affected areas and forests progresses. In this direction, the government will continue at the same intensive pace and with activity in the field, in cooperation with the local communities and all those involved “, he underlines.

It then sets out in detail the package of support and rehabilitation measures in the two Municipalities of North Evia, which concerns both the horizontal support of the area, and the targeted support of sectors that were significantly affected by the catastrophic fires of the summer, while it also includes large flood protection projects. area infrastructure, as well as infrastructure and network improvement projects.

“In particular, credits amounting to 39.7 million euros have already been included in the Region of Central Greece for large-scale flood protection works and for repair of infrastructure failures in the areas of responsibility within the Municipalities of Mantoudi-Limni-Agios Anna and Istiaia-Edipsos. for a large, expanded and intensive project that includes, in addition to restoration and protection of the road network, a wide range of cleaning works, structural interventions, removal of alluvium and flood protection works in the streams of these areas of North Evia, in order to further strengthen the flood protection conditions that are currently developing in the area under the forest services and the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

At the same time – and in cooperation with the Region – in the next period, the integration of financing credits amounting to 40 million euros is launched, for a series of construction projects and flood protection interventions in the settlements and urban areas of the two municipalities of North Evia, arranging dealing with decades of pending issues and pathogens.

In addition, anti-corrosion and anti-flood works in forest areas are progressing at an intensive pace, under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, with the participation of forest cooperatives in the works and with priority on local cooperatives and the local workforce. The total size of the projects that have been started and are being launched amounts to approximately 20 million euros, while, from the first weeks, the cleaning projects of the transit areas were promoted by the local forest and compulsory cooperatives, which received emergency financial support of 0, EUR 65 million.

At the same time, for the immediate restoration of the damages to infrastructures and networks, but also for the support of immediate needs and interventions where necessary, extraordinary financing has been allocated -through the first phases of financing- to the local self-government of North Evia, first and second degree , totaling 13.4 million euros “says Mr. Triantopoulos.

He also points out that from the first moment the arogi.gov.gr platform was activated for the provision of first aid against the housing assistance and the subsidy of the companies, as well as for the compensation of household goods. “In this context, 39.9 million euros have so far been allocated to the beneficiaries of all fire-affected areas. Of this amount, 12 million euros have been allocated to beneficiaries, households, businesses and farmers of the two municipalities of N. Evia, while, as the process of cross-checks and inspections progresses, other payments to the beneficiaries will proceed, these are amounts that are a first aid against the subsidy to companies and agricultural holdings, which will amount to 70% of the estimated damage , as well as for the housing assistance for the repair and restoration of the buildings.Measures are also promoted and implemented, such as the non-return of the repayable part of the repayable advance for all entrepreneurs and agricultural holdings in the two municipalities of North Evia, as and the exemption from paying ENFIA for this year “he states.

“In the same direction, the packages of measures to specific sectors that have been significantly affected are moving forward. In particular, among other things, € 3.7 million, including a seven-year employment program with a budget of close to € 70 million; (c) the support of the livestock activity in the region is implemented -in cooperation with the Region-, with the coverage by the ELGA of the losses within the next week, (d) the support of the enterprises with large, is launched, with a special state aid regime, direct and indirect, losses from major fires, and (e) a targeted action package is implemented to support businesses in the tourism industry Mr. Triantopoulos notes, noting “these are to restore the truth, with which Mr. Tsipras never had a good relationship”.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ