Victims of this past summer's fires on the Greek island of Chios are still waiting for aid and compensation. They say the Greek government has been slow to respond.

Chios

Residents of northern Chios, Greece, continue to face significant challenges following devastating wildfires that destroyed homes, farmland, and businesses. Many victims report feeling abandoned by the state, citing slow government response, delays in compensation, and bureaucratic hurdles for rebuilding. Some locals suspect inadequate fire management and raise concerns about potential violations of environmental protections, particularly in areas covered by the EU's Natura 2000 network. Legal experts are considering action against the Greek government for poor fire management and potential breaches of EU environmental directives. Meanwhile, affected residents are left to decide whether to wait for uncertain government aid or begin reconstruction at their own expense, risking their eligibility for future compensation.

Greek fire victims still waiting for government aid

The acrid smell of smoke and blackened hills as far as the eye can see, Dimitris Mallas relives the nightmare every time he drives to his property. But for many in the village of Volosos, shock is gradually turning to anger. They feel abandoned by the state. We're angry that the area has been destroyed. We saw it coming and said it would happen, but nobody listened to us. So now, wherever you look, all you see is black soot, nothing else. The vegetation meant so much to us, and now it's gone forever. For the farmer, the fire means a total write-off of his fields and machinery. He estimates the damage amounts to around 300,000 euros. Only this small chainsaw is left. But he still doesn't know when or even if he will be compensated by the state. I'm 50 years old. It took many years to acquire all this machinery. I don't think they'll compensate me any time soon. I should just choose a new profession and move away, but I'm not giving up. I'll just stay, pick up the pieces and carry on. The fire spread rapidly through the mountains of northern Chios. Residents say the fire department took two hours to arrive. Finally, two helicopters showed up, but no water bombers. The Omicron Volunteer Brigade was at the scene from the start. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The authorities think it was a spark from a power pole or a short-circuited wind turbine. But some locals suspect arson by the Greek government so they can mine antimony, a toxic heavy metal. And they want to do this even though some of the land belongs to the European Natura 2000 network of protected areas. The EU provides areas like this with special protection because they are habitats for rare animal and plant species. Legal expert Isodoros Touros also says that Greece doesn't do enough to protect the environment. He is considering filing criminal charges for poor fire management and plans to submit a complaint to the European Commission for violating the Natura 2000 Directive. I am convinced that such a complaint, backed up by comprehensive documentation, and an EC ruling against the Greek state are the only guarantees that the area will be protected in the future. Nature needs 50 to 70 years to recover. It could take two to three years before a ruling is made at the EU level, says the legal expert. Antigone Mistrali also had a long wait for special permission to rebuild. At the height of the summer season, the fire destroyed parts of her hotel when it was fully occupied. All the guests were safely evacuated, but Mistrali says the authorities are dragging their feet. She now faces a dilemma – wait and lose next season's income too, or pay for the reconstruction herself. If we start rebuilding everything ourselves with our existing building permit, we will lose our claim to compensation. But it could take up to two years for the special permit to be issued. This needs to be sped up, because I have to be able to work normally again next year. She hopes that her guests will be loyal and come back, despite the scorched landscape surrounding her hotel. Farmer Dimitris also refuses to give up hope. After all, his donkey Sebethera, the village's mascot, also survived. When the fire broke out, she managed to free herself from his locked shed. Her face and ears were burned, along with most of her body, but thankfully she's doing better now. She's our lucky charm, so we always take good care of her. The people of burned-out northern Chios are doing their best to get back on their feet, without waiting for state help that may never come. For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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