Disasters in Chios and need for full compensation for mastic producers and all those affected

Question for written answer E-001760/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Kostas Papadakis (NI)

Serious problems have been caused in Chios by rainfall over the past few days. Houses and shops in the main town were flooded, as well as the restored wing of the airport building and a central road which had only just been surfaced. Immense damage was also done to the mastic-growing industry, according to the mastic producers' cooperative, with preliminary assessments of the destruction putting the figure at 70% of the crop, or 160 tonnes of mastic.

Mastic producers have taken an enormous hit, as it was the mastic gathering season, and only 20% of this year's production had been harvested.

The New Democracy (ND) government, the municipal administration and the Regional Authority bear a heavy responsibility. Flood-prevention planning is non-existent and, for many years, has been limited to a single project that was completed last year.

This policy is the outcome of applying EU Directive 2007/60/EC, under which flood-prevention works are designed not to reflect the needs of inhabitants but to ensure financial return and low costs.

In the light of this:

• 1.What view does the Commission take of the demand for immediate and unconditional 100% compensation for those affected, to include full reparation for the damage to the mastic crop as well?
• 2.What is the Commission's position as regards directly financing all the requisite flood-prevention works and infrastructure on the island that have been going nowhere for decades, so that its inhabitants are not in a state of constant anxiety for their lives and livelihoods in the face of any natural disaster?

Submitted: 18.9.2024