Kefalonia, Greece, May Receive €3.7m Aid Package From EU

Argostoli, Kefalonia.

The earthquake-hit Ionian island of Kefalonia in Greece may receive an aid package worth 3.7 million euros from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF), EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, announced on 27 August.

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up to support EU member states and accession countries by offering financial support after major natural disasters.

The support for Kefalonia is part of an aid package worth nearly €47 million also for Sardinia (Italy), Slovenia and Croatia after a series of natural disasters struck the regions in late 2013 and early 2014.

“These amounts are specific and targeted to help address the immediate and direct impact of natural disasters. In addition, the overall development of these regions is supported through the European Structural and Investment Funds,” Mr. Hahn said in a statement.

The support, under the European Solidarity Fund, still needs to be approved by the European Parliament and the Council. Providing it is, it will go some way in covering the emergency costs incurred by the public authorities in these four Member States due to the disasters. The grant will in particular, help to restore vital infrastructure and services, reimburse the cost of emergency and rescue operations, and help cover some of the clean-up costs in the disaster-stricken regions.

“Concentrating resources in business support, research and innovation, ICT and the low carbon economy they can help these regions turn their disaster into an opportunity for developing a sustainable economic model based on their local strengths and characteristics,” the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy added.

Photo © Panos Karas / Shutterstock

Background

On the Greek island of Kefalonia, on 26 January 2014, an earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck just northeast of Argostolion and was felt on the neighboring Ionian Islands and throughout the entire territory of Greece. Dozens of aftershocks followed in the weeks and months after, with significant consequences on the environment and infrastructure.

Greece reports that some 100 houses have to be demolished on the island, while thousands of houses suffered damage and are temporarily uninhabitable, forcing resident to sleep in tents, ships and emergency accommodation. Also, schools and nursery schools were closed until mid-February while falling rocks and landslides made many roads impassable.

The earthquake had a significant impact on the social infrastructures and entrepreneurial activities of the Ionian Islands, known for their cultural heritage, and tourism sector preparations for the summer season were affected.