Maroussi mayor slams Attica governor’s ‘lies’

The mayor of the northern Athens suburb of Maroussi, Giorgos Patoulis, has accused Attica Regional Governor Rena Dourou of “lies and inaccuracy” after she accused the municipality of not taking the necessary preventive measures before last week’s floods. Patoulis said that Dourou should apologize for the lack of anti-flooding measures in her jurisdiction rather than issue misleading statements. The Attica Regional Authority had denounced the municipality for its “indifference,” as it had allegedly done nothing to deal with the problem of illegal construction in the dried-up Sappho Stream in Maroussi. “The illegal structures have not been removed while the illegal bus depot behind the Church of Agios Eleftherios in the Sappho Stream, at the level of Aghios Athanasios Street, has also not been removed, despite the dangers it poses in case of floods,” it said, adding that it took seven years for the municipality to realize the problem with illegal construction in the dry stream bed and another four years to prepare the final study to deal with the issue. A squall last Thursday flooded many parts of Maroussi, with the fire department receiving more than 200 calls for assistance, including pumping water from homes and businesses. The storm also affected the suburbs of Kifissia and Melissia. No injuries were reported. The flash floods came three days after the deadly wildfire east of Athens.