Regarding the meeting he had with the members of the Association of Relative Victims and Burns from the tragedy in Mati, he informed in his post Adonis Georgiadis.
The Minister of Health emphasized that he could not hold back his tears when he heard the Varvara Fitrouwho lost her two children and her husband 7 years ago in the fire, and then, in communication with Kyriakos Pierrakakisimmediately agreed to pass a provision in the Ministry of Finance’s Institutions Bill, so that all compensation money for fire victims would be non-seizure and tax-free.
In detail, the post of the Minister of Health:
“Dignity
Yesterday at the Ministry of Health I experienced one of the most shocking moments of my career. Suffice it to say, that for the first time I was at the big conference table in my office, and suddenly I started to cry so much that I could not stop my tears and had to apologize to my interlocutors present, the Association of Relative Victims and Burns from tragedy in Mati.
They had asked me for an appointment in order to initiate the satisfaction of their completely reasonable and self-explanatory requests from EOPYY. I am truly sorry that our State, which has sole responsibility for the tragedy they are experiencing (I don’t say experienced because they will never get over what happened to them), is still suffering them. I do not blame EOPYY and its employees, because everyone has to move within some framework of regulations, which are not designed for borderline cases, but only for the usual ones and thus solutions cannot be easily given in cases that exceed the norm. But again, in the face of this tragedy, where parents saw their children dead, burned or drowned, husbands their husbands, children their parents… I’m writing this now and thinking about it and shuddering, we should all find solutions. I promise we will find it! The State is to blame for what is happening, the State will take over everything, as a minimal practical recognition of its responsibility.
The President of their Association, Mrs. Kalli Anagnostou, requested my appointment. A decently beautiful woman. With extensive burn marks evident all over her body, but remaining not just strong and beautiful, but an example to follow. On behalf of their association, together with the other present members of their Board of Directors, without accusations, without tensions, without toxicity, they explained their needs to me, constantly thanking the EOPYY and the ESY for what they have already offered them and acknowledging it, but also mentioning to me the additional needs that have been created for them, from their now chronic illnesses, which our Regulation had not foreseen to cover. As long as they were talking, I was thinking so politely, if I were in their place, if I could be so polite and cool seeing a Minister of State, who with his multiple inadequacies that day destroyed them. And I confess that I found myself admiring, for the strength of their character, all who were there with me at that moment.
But the point where I broke down and believe me I started crying uncontrollably – I couldn’t stop my tears – and I apologized to them for it, was when the following scene happened.
Among those present was an extraordinary lady. Worldly, polite, civilized, dignified. He asked for the floor and told me with a complaint, without tension, without insults, without accusations, only as a fair request: “Mr. Minister, we do not like to accuse anyone, but even though your Government had said that all the provisions that apply to the victims of Tempe will apply to us, although for the amount of moral damage awarded to us by the courts, the tax office is asking us for a tax of almost 50% and insurance and tax information, while you had promised us that it would also be unrestricted and tax-free for us. We sincerely thank the Minister of Finance Mr. Pierrakakis for ensuring that our legal dispute with the State does not continue and we will never forget it, but is what is happening an injustice?”
When I heard her, I repeat all this absolutely correct and fair request, she expressed herself without tension, with kindness and dignity, I asked her who she was and she answered me as follows: “I am Mrs. Varvara Fitrou…. yes because I see you and you look at me with wonder, I am the one who lost my two children and my husband in Mati…”.
When I realized that I had in front of me the lady, whose story I had read so many times, I could not stop crying (the scenes that this woman lived I think have no precedent even in the most shocking ancient tragedies…) and that having gone through all this, instead of reviling me, as she would have every right, and I would simply bow my head in shame, for the suffering that even now we cause her, as in all the other victims, she brought it up with such dignity, I’m sorry to admit it, but I started to cry with both emotion and shame and admiration.
Fortunately, the reflexes of our Government and the Minister of Finance are lightning fast, I immediately called him on the three-digit number and he immediately gave an order and in the Ministry of Finance Bill for Institutions that is coming to the Parliament now, a provision is passed for all this money to be unconfiscated and tax-free, and there we will also pass a provision so that EOPYY can exceptionally cover everything for these people their health needs. And we will do all this because it is the right thing to do.
But again, I cannot help but publicly express my Admiration for Ms. Varvara Fitrou, for Ms. Kalli Anagnostou and for all these people, for the enormous power of their souls, to manage this shocking event that they lived and are living, without cursing, without accusing, without exuding hatred and toxicity! I don’t know if I could be like that in their place, I honestly don’t know. I can’t even put myself in Ms. Fitrou’s shoes, I can’t stand it, but as a man and as a father I can’t help but admit that these people have earned my respect!
Everything, everything, everything in my power for them I will do, not as a favor but as an obligation and a duty.
I really thank you for our meeting yesterday”
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