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Government Minister Claims Arson is Behind Zakynthos Fires

While visiting Zakynthos island, Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis, who is also the local Parliament member, said of the multiple wildfires: “This is planned.”
The Civil Protection ministry mirrored this view, announcing an “arson destabilization attempt during the August Assumption Day holiday season.”
The country’s fire service also says there are “well-founded suspicions of foul play,” after five fires broke out late Saturday and early Sunday, followed by another three on Sunday morning.
The fire service said 10 of the 12 fires burning on Zakynthos are still unchecked, with high winds making it difficult to control the flames. A fire brigade commander says they have consumed mostly forests and olive groves so far.
The opposition seized the opportunity to accuse the coalition government of “lethal negligence,” concerning both the summer anti-fire preparations and the fire extinguishing efforts.
Main opposition New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis took on the government via his Twitter account, writing about “conspiracy theories” cultivated by the government, and blaming Civil Protection minister Nikos Toskas for incompetency.
Toskas responded with a wordplay. He cautioned New Democracy to stop “playing with fire.”
Other opposition parties like socialist PASOK and centrist To Potami (The River), also accused the government of lack of preparation and coordination between relevant authorities.
A total of 53 wildfires broke out in Greece on Saturday and an estimated 91 including those on Sunday, including on Kalamos, a beach resort near Athens.

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