These are the support measures for those affected by the Eastern Attica fire

The measures to support those affected by the fires in Penteli and other areas this month were announced by the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Christos Triandopoulos, stressing that “the Greek government, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Development and Investments, in cooperation with the co-competent Ministries of the Interior , infrastructure and Transport and Rural Development and Food, and with the local government, are activating a series of measures to support households and businesses in the areas affected by the fire in Attica and other areas during July 2022, after the areas were declared in state of emergency and their delimitation by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport”.

The specific measures are:

1. Suspension of tax obligations

In the areas declared in a state of emergency, in order to deal with emergencies and manage the consequences arising from the fire, the payment of all outstanding and confirmed tax liabilities, both for businesses and for the natural persons affected. In particular, with the issuance of a relevant Ministerial Decision, the relevant details are provided for the extension of the payment deadlines of the confirmed debts of the natural and legal persons and entities of the areas – within a strict perimeter – affected by the fire.

2. Compensations for the basic needs of households and for household goods

The households affected by the fire will be paid, in cooperation with the municipalities, sums of money according to the registration of the damages through the Ministry of the Interior. Specifically, the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the payment of compensation, which is (a) financial aid, in the amount of 600 euros, to each household whose main residence has been affected, to cover their basic needs, (b) in addition to this amount , families that suffered damage and have many children are supported with an additional 600 euros, (c) additional financial support of 600 euros is received by the affected families for each of their members who is a person with special needs, (d) financial support of up to 6,000 euros per household, for the repair or replacement of household goods of the main affected house, and (e) financial aid of 4,500 euros to persons who suffered disability from injury in the natural disaster. These financial aids to those affected by natural disasters are irrevocable.

3. Provision of housing assistance to natural and legal persons for the rehabilitation of buildings and building facilities within the demarcated area

With a Joint Ministerial Decision of the involved Ministries, the affected areas are demarcated and housing assistance is granted for the repair/reconstruction of the buildings, through the GDAEFK of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Housing assistance, which consists of free government aid (80%) and an interest-free loan (20%) with the guarantee of the Greek State, is granted to the owners of the affected buildings and up to the maximum limit of 150 sq.m. from the total sum of the areas of their properties, in order to restore them (repair or reconstruction, depending on the damage they present). The financing of this measure comes from the Public Investment Program.

4. First aid against housing assistance

In accordance with the provisions of the institutional framework of state aid, fire-affected citizens can, through the arogi.gov.gr platform, submit an application for first aid against housing assistance for the fire-affected buildings, following the relevant checks by the competent services, with the advance payment up to 14,000 euros.

5. Subsidy for businesses affected by the fire

According to the existing institutional framework of Law 4797/2021 (Government Gazette A΄ 66/23.04.2021), the Ministry of Finance is responsible for compensating businesses affected by natural disasters, in cooperation with the Region, which sets up relevant committees which proceed to assess the damages in each business. In particular, the grant of part of the estimated damage includes the damage to building facilities, mechanical equipment, raw materials, goods and damaged vehicles of the company, while agricultural holdings are included in the same context. Thus, by promoting, in a framework of cooperation with the Region, the damage assessment process in businesses and agricultural holdings, an advance on the estimated damage can be granted immediately and – after the assessment process is completed – the final grant rate can also be granted on the estimated damage. Finally, with regard to agricultural holdings, the subsidy scheme for plant means of production will be activated for agricultural holdings affected by state aid, in a framework of cooperation between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and ELGA.

6. Three-year exemption from ENFIA

The buildings after the plot corresponding to them, which are located in areas that will be declared in a state of emergency due to the fire and have been proven to be completely destroyed or have suffered functional damages that make them uninhabitable, may be exempted from ENFIA for the years 2022- 2023-2024, provided that at that time the ownership or real right to the property belongs to the taxpayer of that year. In this context, the Ministry of Finance is working closely with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to facilitate and speed up the relevant process.

7. Suspension of enforcement actions

Pursuant to a relevant provision in Law 4797/2021, a Ministerial Decision may be issued to suspend the execution of any act of forced execution on the movable or immovable property of those affected by the fire. In particular, for the natural and legal persons, as well as the legal entities that are entitled to the specific measure, the performance of any act of forced execution on their movable or immovable property is suspended, for six (6) months, with the exception of claims for alimony. The suspension covers, in particular, the execution of auctions, confiscations, expulsions and personal reservations. During the six-month period, the deadlines for exercising remedies and aids related to pending enforcement procedures are suspended.

8. Regulation and suspension of insurance contributions

In cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and in continuation of the relevant Joint Ministerial Demarcation Decision to be issued, by decision of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the affected businesses located within of the areas that will be demarcated as affected by the fire. In particular, it is foreseen (a) capitalization of the overdue insurance contributions up to the end of the month preceding the natural disaster (after additional fees, interest, surcharges and other charges), (b) suspension of payment of the current insurance contributions for six (6) months, starting from the 1st of the month in which the natural disaster occurred (without calculation during this period of additional fees or other surcharges), and (c) payment of the amounts due after 6 months in 12-24 monthly installments.

9. Rent/accommodation subsidy

By joint decision of the Ministers of Finance, Development and Investments and Transport and Infrastructure, following the demarcation of the affected areas, a rent/cohabitation subsidy may be given to cover the costs of temporary housing for permanent residents whose homes were affected by the fires.

10. Accommodation of Attica fire victims in hotel units

For the citizens of Attica whose homes have been affected by the fire, in a framework of cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, a hospitality mechanism was activated in hotel units, so that those affected can be accommodated.

11. Support of farmers from ELGA

ELGA, in continuation of the extraordinary funding from the Ministry of Finance, will support the farmers, whose production was affected by the fires, in the context of compensations of the ELGA regulation.

12. Emergency funding to local governments

The Ministry of the Interior, in a framework of cooperation with the local self-government organizations, will proceed with the emergency funding – where the need arises – to the Municipalities and the Region to cover the first needs to cover damages to networks and infrastructures.