Operation “Silencing Independent Authorities”: Completed

Dear reader,

This is our weekly round-up from Greece. 

A storm hit Central Greece again after two weeks, causing floods, destroying crucial infrastructure, and leaving people even more desperate. Many were still in the process of trying to make their houses habitable again. 

Refugees from a closed camp in Thessaly were forcibly moved to other (till that point closed down) structures for flood-stricken Greeks to be hosted in that camp. The Greeks stay there in the same prison-like conditions as the refugees -no entry for friends and relatives, media, etc.- as it is under Migration Ministry rules.

The government, hand-in-hand with the far right, changed the members of the independent authority ADAE, which happens to be conducting a rigorous investigation into the “Greek Watergate.”

Thessaly plain is flooded - again

They haven’t cleaned up their flooded houses yet - let alone restoring them.

They haven’t cleaned the mudded roads.

They haven’t managed to collect all the animal caucuses. 

Five cases of leptospirosis (swamp fever) have been detected in Thessaly Plain, and 17 more suspected cases are under investigation.

While people were collecting the bits and pieces of their lives, a new storm hit the area on Wednesday evening. 

This time, it was Volos City mostly hit. Roads turned into rivers; the Fire Brigade received dozens of calls, and people became desperate (see a video here (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)). Some 80% of the city was without electricity on Thursday morning until these lines were written. This is happening while the water problem is not yet solved, as water in the city is still unsuitable for any human use. 

Can you imagine how it is not to have suitable water for a shower, washing dishes, clothes etc.?    

The state did not do much these last few weeks. Volos municipality, also. 

Volos mayor, a controversial person, only appeared aggressive on 22nd September in a Press Conference (Öffnet in neuem Fenster):    

“They said Volos will need over two years to stand on its feet again. What are you saying, you idiots? We are organizing the most spectacular Christmas,”