John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Latsis Group and Eurobank EFG launch EUR 60 million aid programme in Greece

The John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the Latsis Group and Eurobank EFG announce a programme amounting to EUR 60,000,000 in support of the civilians and the reconstruction of regions affected by the fires

The John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the Latsis Group and Eurobank EFG undertake the design and implementation, in co-operation with the Greek State, of a programme for the reconstruction of the regions and for the support of the civilians who were affected by the devastating fires of 2007. The cost of the programme will amount to EUR 60,000,000.

More specifically, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the Latsis Group and Eurobank EFG decided to offer the amount of EUR 20,000,000 each in order to support the urgent needs caused by the fires of 2007 in our country, but also to reinforce the mechanisms for the prevention of similar disasters and contribute to the rehabilitation of the environment. The implementation of the programme of the three institutions will develop and will be in accordance with the priorities set by the Greek State, in the context of its wider reconstruction plan for the affected regions.

The programme focuses on three sets of initiatives that indicatively include:

1. Set of initiatives in support of the fire victims:

• Financial support to families who have lost their kin relatives.
• Financial support to fire victims who lost their main residence or another vital piece of property.
• Total write-off of debts arising from housing, consumer and agricultural loans that have been previously granted by Eurobank EFG to the above mentioned fire victim categories. The beneficiaries of the above aids will be determined on the basis of the official register recorded by the relevant state authorities.

2. Set of initiatives for the encounter and prevention of fires:

• Donation of equipment to the Fire Brigade in support of its operational efficiency. The equipment to be donated will be determined in accordance with the Fire Brigade.
• Financial support to Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other voluntary organisations that are actively engaged in forest protection.

3. Set of initiatives for the rehabilitation of forest areas:

• Financial support towards the national program for the rehabilitation of forest areas that were destroyed by the fires of 2007, as this will be developed by the relevant state authorities.
• Special care for the prefecture of Ileia.

The sum of EUR 20,000,000, granted by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, will be exclusively directed to the rehabilitation of fire victims and the municipalities and communities that were destroyed in the prefecture of Ileia. This special care is dictated not only by the fact that the prefecture in question was affected more than any other region, but also because the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation's founder descended from the region, to which he had linked his charitable activity for more than 40 years.

Specifically for the prefecture of Ileia, the programme includes the following additional initiatives:

• Immediate relief for the homeless.
• Provision of an educational allowance for all students (in all levels of education) who have lost one of their parents.
• Infrastructure projects for the municipalities and communities that were destroyed by the fires (school buildings, health centres, etc.).
• Financial contribution for the rehabilitation of the surrounding areas of the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia.
  Referring to the program mentioned above, Mrs. Marianna Latsis said: "Our country is confronted with extreme circumstances never experienced before. We follow — in shock — the magnitude of this national tragedy that is unfolding this summer, trying to conceive the devastating effect that will indelibly accompany the next generations. Facing this havoc, it is the duty of us all to contribute in a substantial manner and wholeheartedly. I am certain that our father, John Latsis, would have reacted the same way as we do today and as he had done in innumerable cases, throughout his life, in favour of our country. In this context, the programme of actions announced by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the Latsis Group and Eurobank EFG constitutes a true act of solidarity and social contribution."