Filenews 9 May 2022 - by Despina Psilou
Unfinished business remains open around the firefighting, as time counts down to the hot summer and at the same time to the most dangerous period for ignition of fires. This is also evident in view of today's wide-ranging meeting, which will take place this afternoon at the Presidential Palace on fire prevention. Yesterday, the Minister of Interior Nikos Nouris, clarified that "one of the issues that will be discussed is the issue of flying means", for which difficulties are found. After all, practices that have been in place over the past 20 years, such as the hiring of aerial firefighting equipment from Russia, do not seem feasible this year, due to EU sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine.
In particular, Mr. Nouris in yesterday's statements after the end of the National Memorial of heroes of the Liberation Struggle of EOKA 1955-59, referred to the upcoming meeting at the Presidential Palace. "There will be a confirmation of the readiness of the various corps, so that we do not have unforeseen problems, but also to address the various issues," he said and added that "one of the issues that will be discussed is also the issue of flying means", noting that it will be examined how the competent services have made the appropriate arrangements, taking into account the difficulties involved in renting aircraft, particularly from Russia.
"Everyone's expectation is that at the conclusion of the meeting there will be a short period of adjustment and implementation of any possible new decisions taken." However, Mr. Nouris assured that as every year, so this year everything that needed to be done has been done. He also underlined that all the services, namely the Forest Service, the Fire Brigade, the Ministry of Interior and the Civil Defence, have all the programs in full development.
He also said that this is an annual meeting, which is currently being organized in order to express "our readiness before the President of the Republic all the competent services regarding the problem of fires".
The meeting will be attended, among others, by the Ministers of Finance, Interior, Defence, Justice, Agriculture, as well as the chiefs of the Police, the National Guard and the chief of the Fire Brigade. During the meeting, an evaluation of the measures taken by the Republic to deal with the fires is expected, while the degree of preparedness of the Services, the needs that exist and the course of implementation of the measures that have been decided for the prevention and suppression of fires will be put on the table.
