They went to a quarry in a state forest to destroy firecrackers and flares! They forgot to disarm one of the flares, and it flew into the forest and started a fire!
The authorities dispatched ground firefighting crews to the scene. For hours, they reassured us that there was no cause for concern and that the fire was under control! However, it turned out that it wasn’t. In the afternoon, they discovered that the fire was actually uncontrolled! You see, they only had one firefighting aircraft at their disposal!
When a major disaster loomed and the competent minister arrived on the scene, they found that they had no other firefighting planes! The minister said we’re expecting them in June! But it’s not certain. Maybe in July… Some deafening statements made last month about having ten of our own aircraft referred to the distant future!
No, this is not a work of fiction. These are all real events in the kingdom of Denmark! Outrageous. Unthinkable. It’s incredibly difficult to comprehend how so many distortions can occur in such a small place. And yet, they have become the norm!
The same sad scenario has been repeating itself for years. Especially since 2016 and the massive fire in Solea. They held meeting after meeting, study after study, and plan after plan. However, the result has been only one: a complete failure! We witnessed another huge disaster in Arakapas and Ora. The same infuriating scenario repeated itself, starring a bunch of incompetents.
Even the inept Nikaros (editor’s note: Nicos Anastasiades) was compelled to convene meetings at the Presidential Palace to ensure that effective measures would be taken. Alas… The then-Government Spokesman proclaimed that we would have ten aircraft at our disposal. But before we could even pop the champagne, we learned that we wouldn’t even have the two Russian Kamov helicopters that the Republic had been leasing in recent years.
It was April 2022, and the process to lease them had only started in March when serious states sealed deals the previous autumn!
Nikaros left and Nikos took over. He hastily convened meetings to try to avoid the tragic mistakes of the past. The Presidential Palace managed to hold three meetings. We heard the pompous announcement about having ten of our own aircraft (again). This time, we were wary. We didn’t take the champagne out of the fridge…
Fortunately, because yesterday threatened to give us a stroke. A fire started by a flare in Limassol and another in Paphos caused by fireworks (with a permit). It’s the end of April, the thermometer is reminding us of July, after an exceptionally mild winter, and we only have one aircraft. We’re expecting the rest, which are needed to provide a basic level of fire-fighting capability, in June or July!
This criminal negligence is part of a long list of incidents, which have resulted in fiery flames devouring one green lung after another in our small but beloved homeland. For example, between 2012 and 2023, 114 fires were caused by exposed cables of the Electricity Authority (EAC), which they have been discussing covering since 2020!
Or the fact that neighbouring Jordan has helicopters with a water capacity fifteen times that of Cypriot helicopters. Or that the EU was begging us to establish a permanent base in Cyprus with Canadair firefighting planes, which have twice the water capacity of the AirTractors used in Cyprus, to cover the wider region. But our geniuses insisted on our little planes, causing the EU to turn its back on us. And there’s a whole slew of other ‘achievements.’
It is now clear: This hapless place exists by luck! It is now confirmed: Our beloved homeland is littered with a multitude of small and large ‘Mari.’ We just don’t know when the next ‘explosion’ will occur.
This time, there are clear responsibilities. A flare in a state forest and fireworks in another wooded area. Above all, it’s the end of April, and we don’t have any aircraft. We’re expecting them in June and July! All of this is criminal! Will responsibility be assigned even once?
Nah, new government but old minds!
