Well done, we 've done it again!

This piece is just the translation of the one below. Forgive my English once more, but it is important to understand what this article is about.



Well done again that we managed to burn our entire country to the ground. That country that brought us up and created us. We cannot produce any excuses for that. We constanly underestimate our country and that's it. Few days ago, some people deliberately killed aproximately 64 people [death toll is not yet definite] whether that happened by negligence or on purpose chasing the green bucks and the re-definition of their properties.



For those who by acident set firtunes and lives in danger there is a chance of redemption. For those it is also our fault that as a country and as a its citizens we were unable to made them responsible towards nature and also how easy it is to lose that natural beauty that we have before our very eyes. We bare serious responsibilities that in school we didn't exhibit to them how they should behave in a wild forest and which things need to be avoided. But then who knows? Maybe physics and chemistry are more important. In addition, it's our fault that unless our own house is burnt to the ground we won't bother. Some people will watch tv from their safe homes and they will say "Oh dear God, what a dissaster that is?" and then after a couple of days they will forget about it and care only for predicting the winner of the footaball derby or the outcome of the upcoming elections. Despite that, it is a blessing for us that Greece has the highest percentage of wild, virgin forests in Europe. Unbelievable huh? Still I'm not quite sure if we are going to remain on top of that important rating after that summer we experience. The truth is that I read that a few years ago and it is only a statistic unless proven again.



But, who is going to pay the price for all these that are happenoing? The simple people the "popolo", you and I. Not the wealthy folks that care little about what is going on in the rest of the world. You see my friend, these people have the ability to plant a whole forest in their back yard if they want to, nevermind that most times their luxurious villas are actually among trees and forests. The price is going to be paid from those whose houses will be flooded in the winter and during next summer thay will not have enough drinkable water. Those who will die from the "extensive and unusual for the season heatwave hitting the country". That man who will not be able to take his kids for an excursion to the wild, unless of course we manage to sell the vast incinerated land as an attraction. That indeed would be a good idea. "Look here my son, here used to be many years ago a thick wild forest full of wild, blood seeking creatures as wolves and wild cats. Thanks to God now we have a full view of the dessert and the lovely sea lying at the bottom of the bold mountain. As for the wild animals, don't you worry my son, there is none left to be afraid of". The price will be literaly paid by the poorest fractions of Greek population as electricity bills are bound to reach first time levels, since all the A/C units will be working overtime. The poor sheppard whose flock if not baked will die of starvation. The old granma who lost the house in the flames. That very house that she spent her whole life living in. Who is not going to pay the price? That's really easy to answer; the political parties will definitely not pay the price. I can personally guarantee that the socialists will blame the government for its slow reactions and its incompetence to fight the wildfires. On the other hand, that concervative party will claim that they did everything possible to face the devastating fires. I have read already that the socialists' party granted a 30% of its campaign budget to the victims of that "natural disaster". To be honest with you my friend, I don't give a damn. What I really want and I am desparate to hear from them is to provide all their budger not for the relief of the victims but instead to make sure that something like that will never happen again, spending on preventive measures. What happened this summer must not be forgotten ever. It must be written in our scholl books and become an integral part of our history, because history is mostly about pain, grief and eventually relief.



That region of Greece had never seen anything similar to that since Ibrahim the Egyptian warlord tried (successfully) to burn the whole peninsula. What was striking was that wildfires developed also in areas that no fires were ever recorded whatsoever like the "Prespes". Things are not going well and we are doing everything we can to keep it this way. Temperature is rising year by year and Greece is becoming rapidly a dessert; an extention of the great Sahara dessert. We sould introduce camels then to create another beautiful tourist attraction for all the millions of tourists that choose Greece to spend their holidays.



Regarding the others, the arsonists what can someone possibly say? We are never going to see those people in a court room and no one will be charged and tried for deliberate manslaughter. Howvere, if there such a thing as "Divine justice" their punishment should only be to burn eternaly in the very depths of Hell. That is also my curse and my wish.



Iwrite all these because I need not to forget. I must not and I don't want to forget how I feel now. In winter time (past the big derby game and the elections) when I am going to be having a drink, I will remember the tragedy and I will drink to the nature, to the forests and to Greece, just byself, just for my own pleasure and selfish feelings. See you later, I'm moving on...