Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis opened Thursday’s Cabinet meeting by paying tribute to the three firefighters who lost their lives battling this week’s devastating wildfires, while warning that Greece still faces difficult days ahead as extreme fire conditions persist.

“We express our deepest sorrow,” Mitsotakis said. “The Greek state honors their sacrifice, stands by their families, and will continue strengthening Civil Protection so that Greece is better equipped to confront the increasingly severe impacts of the climate crisis.”

“Difficult Days Still Ahead”

The prime minister urged the public to remain vigilant over the coming days, warning that the wildfire season is far from over.

“We still have difficult days ahead of us,” Mitsotakis said, calling on citizens to exercise the utmost caution, as weather conditions continue to favor the outbreak and rapid spread of wildfires.

Greece Assisting Other European Countries

Mitsotakis noted that Greece is not the only country facing an intense wildfire season, pointing out that France and Spain are also battling major fires.

He said Greece is supporting both countries through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, highlighting the growing need for cross-border cooperation in responding to climate-related disasters.

New Canadair Firefighting Aircraft to Arrive in 2028

The prime minister also recalled that Greece played a leading role in securing a European agreement to restart production of Canadair firefighting aircraft.

He said the first new Canadair aircraft is expected to be delivered to Greece in 2028, strengthening the country’s aerial firefighting fleet.

Cyprus Talks Also Discussed

Mitsotakis also referred to recent diplomatic developments on the Cyprus issue, saying Greece has worked closely with Cyprus to help restart informal negotiations.

“This is an encouraging development after a long period of stagnation,” he said, adding that the prospect of an expanded conference under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General represents “a serious step in the right direction.”

Cabinet Agenda

With Parliament now in its summer recess, the Cabinet’s agenda was lighter than usual.

Among the key items discussed were:

• A review of road safety measures and stricter traffic enforcement implemented over recent months.
• Progress on projects funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, ahead of Greece’s final request for disbursement.
• Approval of Greece’s National Water Strategy, another requirement under the EU Recovery Fund.
• A draft law on the secondary use of health data, presented by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis.
• A proposal to establish a government committee on nuclear energy, reflecting initiatives announced by Mitsotakis following discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.
• A partial revision of the government’s policy plan for the current year, presented by Minister of State Akis Skertsos.