Compensation and support measures for Attica fire victims – first aid from the state

The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection announced measures to support and provide state aid to those affected by the fire in Attica.

The measures include providing priority support for housing issues and suspending tax payments. The following state aid program is being launched for the affected areas of Attica:

1. First aid for housing. Platform arogi.gov.gr for Attica will be activated in the coming days, so that citizens and businesses affected by the fire can apply for the first measures of housing aid for buildings affected by fire, which will be paid after the necessary checks. The beneficiaries of the aid are the owners of residential properties, wholly or partially, damaged by fires, which are assessed by the competent services of the General Secretariat for Disaster Management and State Aid of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Affairs. For housing in the “red” category (as dangerous for use), the amount of the first aid is estimated at 10,000 euros. If the property has received a “yellow” assessment (temporarily unsuitable for use), the owner will receive 5,000 euros.
2. Provision of housing assistance to individuals and legal entities for the restoration of buildings. Following the completion of the inspections by the services of the General Secretariat for Disaster Management and State Aid, the affected areas will be demarcated and housing aid will be provided for the repair/reconstruction of the buildings. The housing aid, which consists of free state aid (80%) and an interest-free loan (20%) guaranteed by the Greek state, is provided to the owners of the affected buildings up to a maximum limit of 150 square meters of the total area of ​​their property for the purpose of their restoration (repair or reconstruction, depending on the damage caused to them).
3. Rent or shared accommodation subsidy. Once the affected areas have been delineated, a subsidy for rent or shared accommodation is provided to cover the costs of temporary housing for permanent residents whose homes have been damaged by fire. The amount of the subsidy varies between 300 and 500 euros, depending on the parameters. Those interested, a few days after the activation of the relevant platform, will be able to apply for temporary housing with a subsidy for rent or shared accommodation either through gov.gr, selecting the subcategory “Natural Disasters” in the category “Citizens and Everyday Life”, or directly on the website arogi.services.gov.gr.
4. First state aid to affected businesses. Through the arogi.gov.gr platform, which will be activated in the next few days in Attica, first aid is provided on the basis of a grant for compensation of damage to affected businesses and non-profit organizations, depending on the level of damage. The amount of first aid is 2,000 euros for medium damage and 4,000 euros for high damage to property. Payment for first aid is made after checking the data of those who applied for first aid with the applications of affected businesses received in the region for recording and assessing damage by state aid committees.
5. Advance payment of state aid to affected businesses. The advance payment is provided against the total grant amount to affected enterprises and non-profit organizations after the first aid is provided in accordance with the established procedures so that part of the aid is paid within a short period of time after the disaster. The advance payment is provided based on the results of the accounting and damage assessment carried out by the regional state aid committees, gradually, depending on the progress of the committees' work.
6. State aid to affected businesses – final amount. After the payment of the first aid and the advance payment, the final grant amount will be provided to the affected companies, and it will cover part of the estimated damage to the company's assets, as it is the result of the work of the state aid committees. In particular, the grant concerns damage to mechanical equipment, raw materials, goods and damaged vehicles of the company. The final grant is determined taking into account the first aid and the advance payment provided. Within the framework of cooperation and coordination, which began immediately with the regions that created the state aid committees, the process of assessing the damage to businesses is progressing so that after its completion, the final grant amount can be determined, taking into account all relevant data.
7. State financial support for agricultural holdings. The regulation on state financial aid (KOE) of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food is in force, which is implemented by ELGA in each municipality of the affected areas and concerns, among other things, the production of plant media and equipment in agricultural holdings, and in areas not subject to the regulation of KOE, a state aid program has been activated in cooperation with the region.
8. Compensation for basic household needs and household items. Households affected by the fire will be paid monetary support amounts in cooperation with municipalities depending on the damage registration. In particular, it is planned to pay compensation to affected households as follows:
9. financial assistance in the amount of 600 euros for each household whose main place of residence was damaged, to cover their basic needs, increased accordingly for large families and people with special needs,
10. financial assistance of up to 6,000 euros per family for the repair or replacement of household items in the primary affected place of residence, while the said assistance is limited to 50% in the case of a secondary place of residence,
11. financial assistance in the amount of 4500 euros people who have become disabled (67%) as a result of a natural disaster injury. When paying out assistance, municipalities will take into account the data from the General Directorate for Disaster Management (GDAEFK) level survey conducted in the region.
12. Suspension of payment of tax liabilities. In areas where a state of emergency has been declared due to fires, a suspension of outstanding and confirmed tax liabilities will be granted for six months for both businesses and affected individuals. In particular, the suspension applies to businesses that are certified as affected by the relevant regional certificate and are part of the state aid to affected businesses. Accordingly, the suspension applies to individuals who have been confirmed to have suffered damage to their home, in the context of their inclusion in the housing assistance and compensation for household items scheme.
13. Benefits for the minimum guaranteed income and housing allowance. The validity of the decisions on approval of the minimum guaranteed income and housing allowance is extended for beneficiaries residing in the affected areas of Attica: by three months in cases where a new application is required in August 2024; by two months in cases where a new application is required in September 2024; the extension is granted if no new application for extension of the minimum guaranteed income has been submitted during August and the beneficiaries, in accordance with their approval decisions, reside in the affected areas of Attica.
14. Suspension of enforcement actions. Any enforcement action against the movable or immovable property of fire victims may be suspended for six months. The suspension is aimed at affected businesses and individuals whose homes have been damaged. In particular, for individuals and legal entities, as well as legal entities entitled to a special measure, any enforcement action against their movable or immovable property is suspended for six months, with the exception of claims for alimony. The suspension applies in particular to auctions, confiscations, and expulsions. During the six-month period, the periods for applying legal remedies and assistance related to pending enforcement proceedings are suspended. The suspension concerns businesses that are certified as damaged by the relevant regional certificate and are part of state aid to affected businesses, as well as individuals whose homes have been confirmed to have been damaged, as part of their inclusion in housing assistance and household goods allowance.
15. Three-year exemption from ENFIA. Buildings beyond their corresponding plot, located in areas declared in a state of emergency due to fires and characterized as dangerous or temporarily unsuitable for use, may be exempted from ENFIA for a period of three years. Provided that during this year the right of ownership or right to the property belongs to the taxpayer of this year.
16. Regulation and suspension of payment of insurance premiums. After the delineation of the affected territories, enterprises located in the delineated territories and affected by the fires are given the opportunity to join the process of settling and suspending the payment of insurance premiums. The suspension of insurance obligations for six months with the corresponding procedure for regulating them concerns, in particular, enterprises affected by the natural disaster, which are certified as affected by the relevant certificate of the region and are part of the state aid to the affected business.
17. Suspension of the employment contract with the corresponding benefit. A special employment support scheme is being created for Attica businesses affected by the fires, with the possibility of suspending employment contracts and providing workers with the corresponding allowance for one quarter of the affected businesses. Like other measures, this measure is aimed at businesses that are certified as affected and are part of the state aid to affected businesses.
18. Emergency funding for local governments. In collaboration with local government organisations, emergency funding will continue to be provided where the need is identified to cover damage to networks and infrastructure.

State aid is not subject to taxation, is not subject to confiscation, is not transferable, is not subject to any fees, is not tied up or offset against confirmed debts to society, insurance funds or credit institutions. The above shall apply accordingly to the amounts paid by insurance companies for damage caused by natural disasters.

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