The communications show that took place after the PM’s hurried return from a visit abroad, at midnight on Monday at the Fire Service Operational Centre, aimed to show that the government is battle-ready and is standing by the citizens.
That is why the conference was televised live by state television, and that is why the spotlights fell on the sensitive prime minister. That is why the decisive moves of his associates were stressed.
The announcements issued thereafter do not refer to deaths, even though, as it has been revealed, the Coast Guard and Greek Police had briefed about them.
There are two possibilities. Either the Fire Service hid the truth from the prime minister, or the prime minister hid the truth from the Greek people. If the former is true, then the Fire Service leadership should resign. Did it not learn from the catastrophe of Chernobyl that the truth sooner or later – and now even more quickly – comes to light? At least they did not send citizens to swim without fear at Mati, as the head of the PM’s press office had once said that we can eat lettuce without fear.
The tragedy that our country is experiencing is not suitable for jest. The fact that it took one week after the disastrous fire to announce the number of missing persons, exposes a state mechanism in complete confusion.
The allegations about an organised arson plan, which were quickly abandoned, show a government that instead of informing attempts to deceive.
The citizens now demand to learn the truth, and only the truth.
