In relation to reports in current publications regarding the fire operational planning of the Department of Forests, in order to avoid creating false impressions, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment notes the following:
The budget of the Forestry Department in the last 5 years has been developed as follows:
|
2019 |
[TD]
2020
[/TD] [TD]2021
[/TD] [TD]2022
[/TD] [TD]2023
[/TD][TR] [TD]
€18,77 million.
[/TD] [TD]€20.38 million
[/TD] [TD]€22.48 million
[/TD] [TD]€24.94 million
[/TD] [TD]€33.14 million [/TD] [TD]
€33.14 million [/TD] [TD]
€22.48 million
[/TD] [TD]€24.94 million
[/TD [/TD] [/TR]
In addition to the above approved budgets, the Recovery and Resilience Plan foresees a budget of €23.7 million from Community and national resources,
As can be seen from the above data, over the last five years the approved Budget of the Forestry Department, taking into account the expenditure included in the Recovery and Resilience Plan, has more than doubled, with an increase in 2023 of 121%, compared to 2019.
As can be seen from the above data, the approved Budget of the Forestry Department, taking into account the expenditure included in the Recovery and Resilience Plan, has more than doubled over the last five years, with an increase in 2023 of 121%, compared to 2019.
Regarding staffing of the Forestry Department, it is noted that in 2022, 132 Forest Firefighters and Fire Wardens were approved and hired, as well as 33 Forestry Officer positions. In the 2023 Adopted Budget, an additional 15 positions of Forest Officers have been approved to staff the Department.
The above highlights the priority given by the State to the needs of the Department of Forestry, so that the Department can adequately meet its mission for timely and successful response to forest fires, given the difficult weather conditions prevailing in our country during the summer season.
(MKY)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
