Mitsotakis faces intense scrutiny over Daniel Storm response

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is under fire for what many see as a delayed and insufficient response to the devastating Storm Daniel. The aftermath has witnessed a mounting death toll and extensive damage to the country's agricultural infrastructure.

The SYRIZA-PS opposition party points to the government's removal of crucial flood protection projects from the Recovery and Resilience Fund shortly before the disaster in Thessaly. Stergios Kalpakis, a spokesperson for the main opposition party, told Attica TV, "There are no more excuses. ND has already ruled for four years... to even tell the opposition that it has no right to speak and criticize is the epitome of arrogance."

Kalpakis criticized the government's overall handling of the storm and its repercussions, stating, "The government has failed on all levels... in the design of policies, in prevention, and in dealing with the crisis." He also highlighted the need for more progress on flood risk management plans, which were initially completed and ratified under SYRIZA in 2018.

Additionally, Kalpakis pointed out the government's alleged disallowance of 800 million euros worth of infrastructure projects, including flood control, from the Recovery Fund. He has since submitted a question to Parliament, demanding clarity on which projects were affected and their future funding plans.

The criticism doesn't end there. Alexis Charitsis, an MP, has also raised questions about de-listing important flood protection projects, a sentiment backed by 30 other opposition MPs.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) launched a scathing critique of the government in the party's newspaper, Rizospastis. The newspaper's new main article underscores the sentiment of abandonment felt by the people and highlights their struggles in the wake of the storm. The article states, "This state is neither being resurrected nor 'resurrected'. It will only become more and more hostile and reactive to the people."

The article concludes by highlighting the power of solidarity and struggle in Thessaly, presenting it as a beacon of hope amid the disaster.

With this mounting backlash, the Mitsotakis administration faces the tangible challenges of recovery from Storm Daniel and the battle for public trust and confidence.