Government and Fires: Suppression Instead of Prevention in Patras

The government's response to the recent fires in Patras has been criticized for emphasizing suppression rather than prevention.

Attacks on the mayor of Patras, Kostas Peletidis, were criticized as an attempt to divert attention from the absence of government officials from the fire area. There were also reports of coordination problems and shortages of extinguishing equipment.

Residents reported problems with 112, which was seen as sending evacuation messages without providing substantial assistance. Many chose to ignore the warnings and stay to protect their properties.

Adonis Georgiadis linked the arson suspect to the anti-establishment movement, a move that was criticized as an attempt to shift the discussion away from government responsibilities.

Overall, the fire management was criticized for a lack of prevention and excessive emphasis on suppression, resulting in widespread destruction.