Occupational safety and health

Milka Vasileva, president of the Bulgarian Association of Health Care Professionals, has raised alarm over the state of the healthcare system, revealing that a third of nurses and a quarter of midwives are of retirement age. She warned that the departure of these seasoned professionals could lead to a collapse of the system.

In light of the major fire raging in northeastern Attica, ELAS issued a statement calling on citizens to avoid any movement to areas affected by fires and to follow, for their own safety, the instructions issued for evacuation of areas.

In detail, the relevant announcement:

Α wildfire in western Attica has been contained, but another, northeast of Athens, is still developing, the Fire Service's spokesman says.

The fire in Varnava is moving towards Lake Marathon, a major water reservoir supplying Athens.

A wildfire erupted Sunday afternoon in a forested area of Megara, West Attica, triggering an evacuation alert.

Forty-eight firefighters, two teams, 13 vehicles and volunteers are working on the ground, while two planes and two helicopters provide aerial support. Residents in Neo Mazi are being evacuated toward Aigeirouses.

A wildfire that began early Saturday in Chionochori in the northern region of Serres is burning forest land in a remote area.

The blaze is being fought by 35 firefighters, five trucks, three ground teams and a helicopter.

As travel restrictions eased following the COVID-19 pandemic, people from Bulgaria and beyond eagerly resumed their journeys. This surge in travel led to issues at airports, exacerbated by a workforce shortage in the tourism sector. Some countries introduced tourist fees or limited bookings during peak seasons to manage the influx.

Greek authorities flew additional forces Thursday to the southern island of Crete, where 250 firefighters battled a wildfire that forced the evacuation of eight villages in mountainous areas.

The blaze tore through olive groves, farmland and scrub, damaging irrigation networks, but posed no immediate threat to the busy holiday resorts along the island's coast.

A fire broke out Thursday on the island of Lemnos in the northern Aegean.

Thirty-two firefighters, supported by two ground teams and eight vehicles, are battling the blaze with the help of three aircraft. Army personnel is also assisting the firefighters.

The large fire that broke out yesterday at noon in southern Rethymno, in the areas of Amari and Agios Vasileiou, has been rekindled. Strong firefighting forces are operating to extinguish the fire while four aerial means, two helicopters and two airplanes, were raised and are carrying out continuous water drops.

Efforts to contain the wildfire on the Slavyanka mountain, which borders Greece, continue as authorities work to manage the blaze. Today, a new area of 1,200 decares will be cleared and fenced off using bulldozers to prevent the fire from spreading further.