Two fireboats launched as part of 2.1-billion-euro investment in civil protection

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the official launch of two fireboats on Wednesday, describing it as a significant step in a 2.1-billion-euro investment in its fire service and civil protection. The two vessels were commissioned into service during a ceremony held at Piraeus Port near Athens.

“The climate crisis facing the entire planet underscores the necessity of preventative measures and investments in civil protection,” Mitsotakis said during the ceremony.

The acquisition of the fireboats is part of the Aegis program, funded by the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility, in collaboration with the European Investment Bank.

The vessels were named in honor of fallen fire brigade officers in the line of duty: Savvas Savvaris, who lost his life battling a wildfire in Serres, Macedonia, in 2018, and Aristides Mouzakitis, who perished in a blaze in Zevgolatio near Corinth in 2017.

“It is our duty to honor the memory of these individuals by ensuring that their sacrifice is never forgotten,” Mitsotakis said.