Editorial: Justice

The lawsuit filed by the brother of 27-year-old Elisavet regarding her death in the disastrous Mati wildfire highlights the absolute chaos during the catastrophic inferno and afterwards.

The Fire Service was absent, and Greek Police had no idea of what instructions it should have given residents. As if that were not enough, the bureaucracy demanded a power of attorney from a fire victim on life support in an intensive care unit in order to issue s passport for her to be treated in the US.

There have been charges of a cover-up operation as regards the weather report of the National Meteorological Service and the fire bulletin. There have been complaints by the fire-stricken that after the assurances of ministers that there will be a full restoration of the area, there has been radio silence. Everything is moving at a snail’s pace, from the issuance of permits to repair homes to checks for the presence of asbestos and the restoration of municipal electricity service.

If the chaos during the disaster bears witness to the incompetence of officials, the ensuing chaos highlights their callousness. Indifference under such conditions of pain for the loss of family, friends and property essentially constitutes punishment.

That is yet another reason why those responsible should be sought out, so that the blame can be properly attributed.
The lawsuit filed by the brother of the victim asks only for the obvious – the meting out of justice at long last.