Minister steps in to stop contentious auction

The auction of a primary residence belonging to a family affected by the 2018 deadly wildfire in Mati in eastern Attica, which on Wednesday sparked clashes between riot police and communist unionists, has been suspended following an intervention by Development and Investments Minister Adonis Georgiadis, state-run Athens-Macedonia news agency (ANA-MPA) reports.

“Following my intervention to the Hellenic Bank Association (HBA), the auction in question was suspended,” Georgiadis was quoted as saying.

“We will not allow a tragedy to destroy a family. I thank the HBA for its immediate response and, of course, the bank that suspended the auction,” he said according to the report.

Earlier reports said the family had lost their father in the fire which killed around 100 people. The family’s business – and only source of income – was reportedly also lost in the flames.