Greece not part of EU program for tackling fires

The European Commission on Tuesday inaugurated its first fleet of firefighting aircraft under a new program dubbed rescEU aimed at enlisting the help of member-states to respond to wildfires and other natural disasters without the participation of Greece.
Five countries that are routinely tested by wildfires - Italy, Spain, Croatia, France and Sweden - have contributed aircraft to the program.
The reason for Greece's decision not to participate was not clear as the financial burden would be relatively small - the European Union covers 75 percent of the aircraft's operating costs. According to sources, the country's firefighting aircraft are not in a good state of repair.
Apart from support from fellow member-states, the program also offers seminars on the prevention of wildfires, which European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos...