"Today's event proves in the best way that when the State listens and cooperates with civil society, those and those who are always in the field, at the forefront, in this case placed in service, in the mission of animal protection, then something really good can arise.
Nothing could be done if we didn't have the full support of volunteers. And I want you to hold your warmest applause for the volunteers, in this case of Dog's Voice, the people who will find themselves, if necessary in the field, leave, give up their work or their vacation to be able to offer this very important service." This is what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, launching the first centre for the reception of affected animals in cases of natural and man-made disasters, the Galatsi Olympic properties.
The event was attended, among other things, by the Minister of Interior, Theodoros Livanos, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Vassilis Spanakis, the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Kostas Katsafados, and the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Marilena Soukoulis.
"I am particularly happy to be here, in Galachi, where there is now a permanent centre of reception, identification, care, reunion of pet animals, in the event of a natural disaster. I think that today's event proves in the best way that when the State listens and cooperates with civil society, those and those who are always in the field, at the forefront, in this case committed to the mission of animal protection, then something good can indeed arise," the Prime Minister said.
"I think it is a very important innovation for the Greek administration that we have established this special secretariat, which may now be the official institutional interlocutors with the rest of the public administration, because cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection is required, but, above all, I think it is a difficult task for them to sit down animal welfare organisations at the same table," the Prime Minister added, stressing that nothing could be done if there was no complete support for volunteers. "I want you to reserve your warmest applause for the volunteers, in this case Dogs' Voice, the people who will, if necessary, be in the field, give up their work or their vacation to be able to offer this very important service," he said.
The Prime Minister's speech follows:Ladies and gentlemen in the government and in Parliament, dear Elena, dear and dear representatives of the animal organizations, I really feel that today's event would be more appropriate if it ended with the presentation that dear Elena made and with the words she had made in her October 2023 interview with regard to her expectation of what the Greek State would expect of the issues of animal protection in the event of natural disasters.
And indeed, which began fragmentarily, as a result of the difficult experience, we had to manage major crises and especially large fires, which sprang up through civil society itself and animal organizations, was finally embraced by the Greek State, institutionalized and we are now happy to be able to present this very important national mechanism, essentially the management of pet animals in the event of natural disasters.
I am particularly happy to be here, in Galachi, where there is now a permanent center of reception, identification, care, the reunion of pet animals in the event of a natural disaster.
I think that today's event proves in the best way that when the State hears and cooperates with civil society, those and those who are always in the field, at the forefront, in this case committed to the mission of animal protection, then indeed something good can arise.
I want to make a special reference to Nikos Chrysakis - I think he deserves a warm round of applause - for the total commitment to the issues of pet protection. I think it is a very important innovation for the Greek administration, the fact that we have established this Special Secretariat, which may now be the official institutional interlocutor with the rest of the public administration, because cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, is needed, but above all I think it is a difficult task for them to sit down in the same table.
I know very well from my own experience that you do not always agree on everything, but it is very important that there is an institutionalised dialogue, which ultimately can result in results which are truly commendable and which essentially also constitute best practices at European level.
But let me close by saying that nothing could happen if we didn't have the full support of the volunteers. I want you to hold your warmest applause for the volunteers, in this case of Dogs' Voice, the people who will, if necessary, be in the field, giving up their work or vacations to be able to offer this very important service.
Now you will be able to do so much more organized, in the presence of a representative of the Special Secretariat in ESKEDIKI, with better coordination, with a mechanism that will also safeguard your own individual protection, but at the same time make your work easier and more meaningful.
So I should close by again giving warm congratulations to those who have worked to get to this very important day today.
I hope the mechanism is unnecessary, but we know very well that the climate crisis is with us. We'll face forest fires every summer.
We start from Attica, in order to be able, as you said, Helena, to expand across the country until 2029.
Again, a very warm thank you to those who have allowed us to reach this day. I am, of course, referring to all non-governmental organisations, civil society, all those who worked together to enable something that was a vision and a dream to finally come true.
Thank you very much.
Photo source: Eurokinissi