Residents of areas hit by fires angry at shift on ENFIA

Residents of the coastal settlements of Mati and Neos Voutzas, which bore the brunt of July’s disastrous wildfires, are up in arms over the government’s backtracking on pledges to relieve them of paying the unified property tax (ENFIA). 

Originally Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had indicated that all residents of the areas affected by the fires would be exempt from paying ENFIA, including those whose homes suffered minor damage. 

However, it appears that that pledge has been watered down. Now it seems that residents with homes that were not totally destroyed in the blazes will be obliged to pay the tax.

Around half the property owners in Mati and 60 percent of those in Neos Voutzas will still be liable to pay ENFIA charges this year, Kathimerini understands.

Tsipras visited Mati at the end of July and promised residents there that he would do all he could to facilitate their return to normality.

Infrastructure Minister Christos Spirtzis followed up with a visit this week and was criticized for failing to clarify which property owners are entitled to state compensation.

Emi Korkidi, a member of the Neos Voutzas residents’ committee, on Friday called for all locals whose homes have sustained even minor damage to be granted exemption from paying ENFIA.

This week a 26-year-old burns victim died, bringing the toll from July’s fires to 99.