The voices of duty
The harrowing voices of people who were trapped in the seaside Attica town of Mati during the deadly blaze of 2018 cause despair over the state of the civil protection mechanism.
As the fire raged, taped conversations have allowed us to hear state officials weighing the political cost of their actions, instead of doing their job. But there are also a few other lonely voices of those doing their duty.
We have to believe that this failed system is not doomed, that it can be rebuilt, and quite easily too. No system is designed to fail in its responsibilities – it becomes that way. No uniformed official wants to be guided by political considerations. The mentality of our uniformed officers – and their operational capabilities – can change. All they need is be free of political or union control so they can return to their real mission.
