Greece - August 2023

The Syriza opposition party has accused the government of mismanagement of the wildfire and experts say that weaknesses in emergency planning, insufficient coordination between different authorities and the underfunding of the national forestry service have prevented an effective crisis response. Although the government has initiated policy changes, it has shifted the blame to arsonists, arresting 79 people for suspected arson this summer and announcing future tougher penalties for the crime. This has inflamed social divisions, with claims circulating that migrants are committing arson and far-right militias forming to ‘catch’ them. Three vigilantes have been arrested for forcing 13 migrants into a trailer as they blamed them for setting the fires. This prompted the Supreme Court Prosecutor to order an investigation into claims of racism against migrants. Greece saw the largest wildfire recorded in the EU since the bloc started collecting data in 2000. The wildfire has scorched over 80,000 hectares and claimed at least 20 lives, 18 of whom are thought to be migrants.

Sources:  ReliefWeb, Kathimerini, Wall Street Journal, British Broadcasting Corporation