More than 3,100 illegal buildings slated for demolition, after deadly blaze
In an effort to show that the message from last week’s deadly fire in east Attica has been received, the Greek government announced on Tuesday it plans to demolish 3,185 illegal constructions, built in forrests and along the coastline of Attica.
The decision concerns buildings for which final demolition rulings have been issued.
Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said the government will begin work to crack down on illegal construction, which experts said made the fire even worse.
In the municipalities of Rafina-Pikermi and Marathonas alone, the hardest hit areas in the blaze, more than 19,000 stremma (4,695 acres) and 68,000 stremma (16,803 acres) respectively of forest land has been covered by illegal construction, according to a recent report by Kathimerini.
The government has been fiercely denounced over the way it handled the fire, which left at least 91 dead and scores injured and missing.
More than 1,000 burned buildings inspected by engineers after the wildfire must also be demolished. Environmental groups said the fire was the deadliest in the country’s history, scorching 17,000 acres of forestland and residential areas.
