Commissioner Lahbib travels to Greece for discourse on forest fire prevention, readiness, and reaction measures

In Athens, Greece today and tomorrow, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič (known as Hadja Lahbib), is engaging in a series of meetings and visits to discuss the EU's joint wildfire prevention, preparedness, and response efforts.

Commissioner Lahbib's agenda includes a meeting with the Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Ioannis Kefalogiannis, to discuss cooperation between Greece and the EU in managing wildfire risks. The commissioner is also visiting Greece's Coordination Centre for Operations and Crisis Management to gain a deeper understanding of the country's crisis management capabilities.

During her visit, Commissioner Lahbib will tour the Greek national airbase hosting two airplanes from the EU's joint firefighting fleet, rescEU. The commissioner will acknowledge the increasing unpredictability of wildfire seasons in Europe and express optimism about the continued cooperation between Greece and the EU in the future.

One of the highlights of Commissioner Lahbib's visit will be her participation in a ceremony to mark the handover of approximately 100 firefighting vehicles to Greece. The EU is funding part of this handover, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting member states in their efforts to combat wildfires.

Greece has been actively responding to requests for firefighting assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and has provided support to Albania and North Macedonia during the wildfire season, with both instances involving the use of rescEU airplanes. Commissioner Lahbib commends the strength of the civil protection collaboration between Greece and the EU.

In addition to her meetings with government officials, Commissioner Lahbib will also meet with Czech firefighters pre-positioned in Greece this summer. The commissioner will emphasize the importance of joint efforts in being better prepared and equipped to respond to wildfires and emergencies.

Tomorrow, Commissioner Hadja Lahbib will meet the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to discuss further collaboration between Greece and the EU in managing wildfire risks. On Monday, March 28, Hadja Lahbib announced enhanced EU-wide wildfire protection measures and outlined the future plan for the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to strengthen preparedness, crisis management, and gender equality in emergency response.

Greece is taking the challenge of wildfires seriously, as indicated by its active involvement in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The commissioner's visit to Greece underscores the importance of collaboration between member states in addressing the shared challenge of wildfire risks and the EU's commitment to supporting its members in their efforts to protect their citizens and the environment.

Commissioner Lahbib travels to Greece for discourse on forest fire prevention, readiness, and reaction measures