Today is the last day for the deadline to clean up and declare plots of land; starting tomorrow, inspections, fines, penalties, and ex officio cleanups by municipalities.
Today is the last chance for owners, usufructuaries, tenants, and subtenants of plots of land to complete the required cleanup and submit the relevant declaration on the online platform of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. According to the president of the Fire Department Officers’ Union, Kostas Tsigas, approximately 610,000 declarations have already been submitted, and it has been made clear that no further extension will be granted.
Inspections begin tomorrow – Cross-checks begin
Starting Tuesday, June 23, inspections will begin by the municipalities and the Fire Department will begin, drawing on both on-site inspections and complaints from citizens. Priority will be given to areas of increased fire risk, in zones where forest and urban areas coexist, in areas of the Natura network and near critical infrastructure.
Kostas Tsigas pointed out that municipalities are continuing with the necessary interventions, and where necessary, they will proceed with ex officio cleanup, with the relevant costs charged to those responsible. At the same time, he clarified that the Fire Department investigates complaints, while the imposition of fines is carried out by the competent municipal authorities.
The fines – What the law provides for
The relevant Joint Ministerial Decision provides for a series of administrative and criminal penalties for those who fail to comply with their obligations.
Specifically, a fine of 500 euros is imposed when neither cleanup nor declaration has been carried out, while a fine of 100 euros is imposed when cleanup has been performed but the required declaration has not been submitted.
For failure to clean a plot of land or an open space, a fine of 1 euro per square meter is imposed, with a minimum amount of 200 euros and a maximum of 2,000 euros. At the same time, municipalities may proceed with ex officio cleanup, charging the associated costs to the owners.
In cases of false declarations, criminal penalties are also provided for, including imprisonment of at least six months and a fine of 5,000 euros.
What does mandatory cleanup entail?
The obligations mainly concern areas within city limits, within settlement boundaries, as well as areas located up to 100 meters from them, provided they are not subject to forestry legislation.
The required work includes removal of dry vegetation, tree pruning, thinning of shrubs, the collection and removal of clearing debris, as well as the removal of flammable materials and trash. Property owners are also required to keep the fuel load low throughout the fire prevention season.
