Lawmakers raise alarm over fire service staff shortages in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

Lawmakers from New Left and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) have highlighted operational gaps in regional fire services and are demanding immediate staffing reinforcements ahead of the upcoming wildfire season.

Zeybek Submits Formal Report to Parliament

İskeçe MP Huseyin Zeybek of New Left submitted an official report to Parliament based on a letter from the Firefighters’ Union of Macedonia–Thrace and the North Aegean.

The report calls for urgent recruitment and coverage of staffing needs to ensure the safe and effective operation of fire departments in the regional units of Kavala, Drama, İskeçe, Rhodope, and Meriç.

According to union representatives, personnel shortages are straining frontline services and limiting preparedness capacity in a region that frequently faces wildfire risks and emergency response challenges.

KKE Demands Permanent Hiring and Border Allowance

In a separate parliamentary question addressed to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, KKE called for the recruitment of permanent firefighters across all services in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

The party also demanded the extension of the border-region allowance to all firefighters serving in designated border areas, arguing that the current framework excludes eligible personnel despite difficult working conditions.

Pressure Mounts Ahead of Fire Season

The parliamentary scrutiny comes amid broader national concerns over emergency response readiness, particularly as Greece prepares for the summer wildfire period.

Opposition lawmakers argue that without immediate reinforcements, fire services in northern Greece risk being overstretched in the event of large-scale incidents.

The government has yet to issue an official response to the latest interventions.