PM visits Mati, vows new park and housing

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the fire-scarred seaside resort of Mati on Thursday, where 102 residents and tourists lost their lives two years ago, to lay a flower at a memorial to the victims and inspect the progress of its reconstruction.

“The government has had a very systematic involvement with the issue of Mati, and I don’t just mean in cleaning the lots, removing the asbestos [from destroyed houses] and taking care of the different problems related to the burn victims. Our greatest challenge is to rebuild this area so that it is better than it was before,” he said, adding that this cannot be accomplished without a “special urban plan.”

The prime minister spoke with residents and representatives of local associations and groups, outlining some of the government’s plans for the area.

These reportedly include the construction of a housing estate for residents who lost their home in the 2018 wildfires, as well as the creation of a park. These projects will be carried out with the support of the Republic of Cyprus, which has donated 12 million euros to the Mati recovery effort.