Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis paid tribute to firefighters battling multiple major wildfires across the country in his weekly Facebook address on Sunday, August 2, saying the growing intensity of extreme weather events is testing the limits of even Greece’s significantly strengthened civil protection system.
Mitsotakis said Greece has made substantial investments in Civil Protection in recent years, expanding its aerial and ground firefighting fleet, introducing new technologies, recruiting additional personnel, and improving operational coordination.
He stressed, however, that there are times when the force of nature exceeds even the most robust emergency planning. He noted that when winds reach extreme speeds, even the country’s large fleet of firefighting aircraft cannot operate safely, limiting efforts to contain rapidly spreading blazes.
The prime minister expressed his gratitude to firefighters, volunteers, Civil Protection personnel, members of the security forces, the armed forces, and local government workers, praising their efforts in what he described as a battle that often goes beyond human endurance.
He also paid tribute to the three firefighters who lost their lives while battling the wildfires in Rethymno and Gytheio, saying the nation owes their families its deepest sympathy and that their sacrifice reinforces the need to continue strengthening Greece’s capacity to respond to increasingly severe natural disasters.
In the latter part of his weekly message, Mitsotakis highlighted the government’s broader Public Investment Program (PPF), saying it has demonstrated its value through initiatives including the AIGIS Civil Protection program, the modernization of health centers and hospitals, the launch of the 1566 public health helpline, the AntiNero forest fire prevention program, upgrades to port infrastructure, and the Change My Appliance energy-efficiency scheme.
Mitsotakis pointed out that these projects illustrate how targeted public investment is improving resilience, public services, and infrastructure across the country.
