Greece will demolish thousands of illegal buildings. That's what Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday. In buildings without a permit, dozens of people were killed during a devastating forest fire on 23 July.
The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited the place Mati for the first time, which was destroyed by a wildfire. He spoke there according to an official statement with residents, firefighters and police officers.
In the Greek town of Mati, the victims of the great nature fire earlier this week were commemorated on Sunday. Mourning people gathered in a church, where they lit a candle for the deceased. 'Some survived, but for those who died, I hope they make it up in heaven,' a 77-year-old resident said.
Rafina and Mati were paradises on the Greek sea. Now they are villages where everyone has horror stories to tell, and yet also has to pick up the thread again. 'First you are happy that your loved ones are still alive,' says resident Nick Vasiliu. 'Then you start thinking about what you lost.'
A Belgian tourist who went missing in Greece has passed away. The victim and his son were part of a group that was traveling in the vicinity of the coastal city of Mati, reports the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That area is plagued by wildfires.
