Mitsotakis urges swift compensation of flood victims
Conservative opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged the government to follow through on its compensation pledge for the flood-stricken residents of western Athens, while vowing to expedite flood prevention projects if he becomes prime minister.
“The people who were hit [by the disaster] must get compensation… as soon as possible and without bureaucratic delay,” the New Democracy chief said during a visit to Mandra, the area which suffered the brunt of the November 15 flash floods, on Wednesday.
The country's left-led government has said authorities will offer flood victims up to 5,000 euros for households and 8,000 euros for businesses.
During a meeting with Mandra Mayor Yianna Kriekouki, Mitsotakis, who visited Mandra for the second time since the disaster struck, vowed to accelerate the construction of anti-flooding measures in the area if New Democracy becomes government.
“It is my personal commitment that anti-flooding measures will be completed without delay; it is the least we can do for an area that already faces big problems, so that we shall never have to deal with such a large-scale disaster ever again,” Mitsotakis said.
Authorities on Monday raised to 23 the death toll from the flash floods after one more body was found and an injured woman died in hospital.
