Who does not remember the tragedy in Mati and the 102 people who in the wildfire lost their lives so suddenly and unjustly?
They never left the thoughts not only of their loved ones, but also of those who saw the fire raging all night in live broadcasts and then saw the anguish of all those who were left behind, trying to find their family and friends in the ashes.
That July night was one of the worst of the last years. In the – belated – 680-page report of the Prosecutor’s Office, the competent prosecutor has put on trial 27 individuals, including local government officials and Hellenic Fire Corps officers who to this day retain their positions. The prosecutor’s proposal cites delays and deficiencies, which whenever they were discussed were dismissed by those implicated.
The judiciary is a powerful tool of every state that functions under the rule of law. In the memory of those who died unjustly, the court trial must proceed to the end and everything must come to light as regards the responsibility of competent authorities, regardless of their political or operational position.
This is the only way that those who made mistakes can be punished and the errors of state services that led to a tragedy of such magnitude can be revealed.
The enormous August wildfires prepared us for the fires of the future. They were the result not only of human negligence, but also of the changing climate in the Mediterranean region.
In the next wildfire, we must all be ready, and Mati must function as an example to be avoided.
