The European Union has announced a massive financial aid package for Greece, which has been hit by devastating wildfires and floods in the past month. The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the bloc would provide more than 2 billion euros ($2.15 billion) to support the recovery efforts in the country.
Greece faces unprecedented natural disasters
Greece has experienced two historic natural disasters in a span of a few weeks. In August, the country faced the worst wildfires in its history, which burned more than 1,000 square kilometers of land, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and killed at least four people. The fires were fueled by a prolonged heat wave and drought that affected much of southern Europe.
Then, in September, heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides that swept away cars, bridges, and buildings in central Greece. The floods claimed at least 15 lives and left many people homeless and without electricity or water. The floods also damaged the country’s main highway and rail network, disrupting transportation and commerce.
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the situation as “a nightmare” and appealed for international assistance. He said that the disasters had caused “unprecedented damage” to the environment, the economy, and the social fabric of the country.
EU mobilizes unspent funds for Greece
The EU responded to Greece’s plea by offering a generous financial aid package that would help the country rebuild and recover from the disasters. The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the bloc would use unspent funds from the previous funding period, which would otherwise be lost, to support Greece.
She said that 2.25 billion euros could be made available in the short term, with much of the money coming from development and agriculture projects that were mostly earmarked for Greece. She added that the EU would also activate other instruments, such as the Solidarity Fund and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, to provide additional support in the medium and long term.
She said that the EU stood in solidarity with Greece and praised the courage and resilience of the Greek people. She also expressed her admiration for the firefighters, volunteers, and civil protection workers who risked their lives to combat the fires and floods.
Greece welcomes EU’s gesture of solidarity
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked the EU for its generous and timely assistance. He said that the aid package was a “powerful message of solidarity” from the European family to Greece. He also said that it was a recognition of the magnitude of the challenges that Greece faced.
He said that the funds would be used to restore the damaged infrastructure, support the affected businesses and households, and implement measures to prevent and mitigate future disasters. He said that Greece aimed to rebuild better and greener, with a focus on sustainability and resilience.
He also expressed his gratitude to other countries that had sent firefighters, aircraft, equipment, and humanitarian aid to help Greece cope with the emergencies. He said that he was proud of the European spirit of cooperation and solidarity that had been demonstrated in these difficult times.
