CORFU, Greece – In a parliamentary session held on Monday, November 17, 2025, Dimitris Biagkis, Secretary of the PASOK-KINAL Parliamentary Group, vehemently criticized the government’s handling of the aftermath of a devastating fire in the Alepou area of Corfu. The fire, which occurred at the ‘Gongaki’ factory on October 17, 2025, has left residents grappling with severe environmental and health issues, prompting Biagkis to demand immediate and concrete answers from the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
Biagkis Highlights Public Health Crisis and Government Delays
In his initial address, MP Biagkis detailed the dire impact of the catastrophic fire on public health, emphasizing the repeated delays and the state’s failure to promptly and efficiently remove animal remains from the affected area. He underscored the residents’ prolonged suffering and the urgent need for intervention.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, in response, offered a historical overview of fragmented actions undertaken by the Ministry since 2019. However, he failed to provide clear explanations or a definitive plan for future actions during his initial statement, drawing further criticism from Biagkis.
Unanswered Questions Plague Alepou Residents
During his second address, Biagkis pressed the Deputy Minister for practical answers and substantive solutions to the persistent problems faced by the Alepou community. He highlighted that despite 31 days having passed since the incident, animal remains continue to plague the area, exacerbating the health and environmental crisis.
Biagkis posed a series of critical questions to the Minister, demanding accountability and transparency:
- “What is the procedure you have undertaken?”
- “Are you in a position to responsibly answer whether the air residents breathe is contaminated?”
- “Are you in a position to responsibly tell us whether the soil is contaminated? The water?”
- “Can the residents of the area consume their domestic animals?”
- “Can they continue to eat products from their fields?”
- “Can they continue to cultivate their products?”
He further stressed the helplessness of the residents, stating, “Mr. Minister, these people are helpless, unaided, and alone. Their presence in the area is now suffocating and impossible. They are leaving their homes for long-term rentals, going to their villages.”
Economic Devastation and Lack of Official Presence
Biagkis also drew attention to the significant economic damage suffered by local businesses. He pointed out the conspicuous absence of the Secretary General, Mr. Manolis Grafakos-who has remained in his position despite multiple ministerial changes since 2019-from the affected area. “He has not visited the area to see the true extent of the problem, nor has he issued any official statement regarding the future of the area,” Biagkis asserted.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy once again evaded providing clear and unambiguous answers regarding the future of the affected residents and the path forward, leaving many questions unanswered.
The situation in Alepou remains critical, with residents awaiting decisive action and transparent communication from government officials. The ongoing parliamentary debate highlights the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to mitigate the environmental and health consequences of the fire and support the affected community.
Source: https://www.startmediacorfu.gr/dimitris-mpiagkis-kamia-dikaiologia-gia-to-alaloum-kamia-apantisi-gia-to-avrio/
