A scandal of waste and negligence has been exposed by the first comprehensive inspections of Civil Defence shelters. Between 2000 and 2013, the state spent €4,150,000 converting basement spaces in private properties into shelters, while also providing grants to owners.
The result? During inspections last week — the first to cover all shelters — it was found that 194 spaces no longer exist. Owners demolished buildings or converted basements into apartments without even notifying Civil Defence.
Even worse, the agreements between the state and private owners turned out to be full of holes, providing no legal basis for recovery. The Interior Ministry stated it does not intend to take legal action against violators.
Minister Constantinos Ioannou admitted that Civil Defence failed in its mission. Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved new planning incentives — an additional 5% building coefficient for creating new shelters.
